While “The Divine Wind” does explain the personal motivations of Kamikaze pilots and the initial strategic/military rationale for their actions—both of which, contrary to some opinion, may be understood by non-Japanese living many years later—these explanations are not enough to fully understand the Kamikaze phenomenon. What the book does not explain is why the Japanese continued with kamikaze attacks into 1945, when (despite a few spectacular successes) they could see that they were not achieving their professed goals; why organizationally despite the evidence the Navy persisted in pretending that these attacks could still somehow “turn the tide”; and especially why under these circumstances the pilots themselves continued their ultimate sacrifices.
Despite some muddy quasi-philosophical musings on these questions by Inoguchi and Nakajima, especially in the concluding chapters, they are for the most part simply avoided lest they shed light on the embarrassing imaginative limits and moral cowardice of those in charge. Because some Japanese at the time had the courage and professional pride to pose similar questions (as, indeed, the book relates) one comes away from reading “The Divine Wind” knowing that “Bushido spirit” (or any other supposedly unique Japanese national characteristic) did not preclude rational analysis of the circumstances and likely outcomes at the time, or fully explain the chosen courses of action. One is also therefore left to conclude that where “special attacks” are concerned Japan’s naval leadership acted in a colossal, months-long fit of pique, reflecting a blinding, furious frustration with their inability to halt or even measurably impede the American advance and with an astonishing lack of concern for the consequences.
Arguably for these reasons “The Divine Wind” only partially tells the Kamikaze story, and is at least as valuable merely as a first-hand account by Japanese authors detailing the material and operational conditions prevailing in the Imperial Navy during the last year of the war. The authors’ effusive praise for early Kamikaze backer Admiral Takajiro Ohnishi, however; their uncritical treatment of the “special attack” idea, and their conspicuously deferential treatment of the Kamikaze pilots contributes to the perception that some larger, less admirable aspect of the story has been deliberately left out. Three stars.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club?
Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Flip to back
Flip to front
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
-
Apple
-
Android
-
Windows Phone
-
Android
To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Customer reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2014
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2015
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2015
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2019
Verified Purchase
