Prompt Cast
The use of kamikaze pilots and the perversion of the Bushido code during World War II
TLDR Japan's aging Air Force utilized kamikaze pilots during World War II, who were convinced to sacrifice themselves for the honor of their family name and the twisted interpretation of the Bushido code. This perversion of the code also led to a low surrender rate among Japanese soldiers, with some continuing to hide and fight even after the war ended.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
During World War II, Japan's aging Air Force came up with the idea of using kamikaze pilots to fly planes loaded with bombs into enemy targets.
03:56
During World War II, Japan used kamikaze pilots who were convinced to sacrifice themselves for the honor of their family name and the twisted interpretation of the Bushido code of conduct.
08:05
During World War II, the Japanese military's perversion of the Bushido code extended beyond kamikaze pilots and led to a very low surrender rate, with only 5% of the Japanese military surrendering during the war.
11:41
During World War II, some Japanese soldiers known as stragglers or holdouts continued to hide and refuse to surrender even after the war ended, with some cases lasting until the late 1950s.
15:31
Lieutenant Hiru Onoda was a Japanese soldier who continued to stage raids and carry out the war in the Philippines until 1950, unaware that the war was over.
19:29
Lieutenant Onoda and his men did not believe the messages and continued to fight, even raiding a police station and engaging in firefights, until eventually, Onoda was left alone and still fighting the war.
23:06
Lieutenant Onoda's story catches the attention of a Japanese student named Noryo Suzuki, who goes to the jungle to meet Onoda and eventually convinces him to surrender after finding his former commanding officer.
26:59
Japanese stragglers have been portrayed in pop culture, such as in an episode of Gilligan's Island and in the show True Hollywood Forum, but the story of Hiroo Onoda's return to Japan was a huge event and made world news.
30:31
The hosts address a listener's question about whether someone can be framed for murder, explaining that typically framing someone for murder involves committing the murder and blaming someone else, rather than setting oneself up to be murdered.
Categories:
Society & Culture
