When you think of “kamikaze,” you might picture Japanese pilots crashing their planes into enemy ships during World War II. These pilots, part of the Japanese Imperial forces, were willing to sacrifice their lives for their country. But did you know that kamikaze tactics weren’t limited to the skies? The Japanese also developed sea-based kamikaze strategies, using explosive speed boats, torpedoes, submarines, and even specially trained divers.
Japanese commanders saw explosive speed boats as a powerful alternative to aerial kamikaze attacks. Both the Japanese Imperial Navy and Army had their own projects. The Navy’s version was called the Shinyo, meaning “seaquake.” This project began in 1944, aiming to create fast, explosive-laden boats capable of damaging large enemy ships. The Shinyo Type 1 Mod 1 was the result, featuring a 67-horsepower engine and a 595-pound explosive charge in the bow, designed to detonate on impact.
The Shinyo boats were simple enough to be produced in various shipyards and even automobile factories. The goal was to build 7,000 boats, but production stopped at 6,200. A more advanced model, the Shinyo Type 5, included rocket launchers and a machine gun, serving as a leader’s boat to provide cover for the Mod 1s.
The Japanese Army’s project, known as Maru Rei, developed two types of boats. The combat version, called the Heijon, was made from plywood and used car engines to reach speeds of 23 knots. Unlike the Navy’s boats, Heijons didn’t carry explosives. Instead, they were equipped with depth charges to be dropped near enemy ships.
Alongside boats, the Japanese Navy worked on manned kamikaze torpedoes, known as Kaitens, meaning “the great undertaking.” The first Kaiten Type 1 was completed in 1944, featuring a massive warhead capable of sinking American ships. Pilots controlled the torpedo from inside, using a periscope to guide it toward targets.
Japan also considered using submarines for kamikaze missions. The Kuru and Kairu submarines were tasked with ramming enemy ships, but they never saw combat. Additionally, Japan planned to deploy kamikaze frogmen, or “Fukuru,” equipped with mines to attack Allied landing craft. However, this project was abandoned due to costs and changing war conditions.
Despite high hopes, sea kamikaze tactics had limited success. The first Kaiten operation in 1944 targeted U.S. ships at Ulithi Atoll, but only one torpedo hit its mark. Over time, effective U.S. anti-submarine measures reduced the success of Kaiten attacks. Similarly, kamikaze boats faced challenges, with many destroyed before reaching their targets.
By 1945, sea kamikaze attacks had largely failed to achieve their goals. While these tactics demonstrated the lengths to which Japan was willing to go, they ultimately couldn’t turn the tide of the war. This episode of history reminds us of the extreme measures taken during wartime and the importance of strategic innovation.
Research the different types of kamikaze tactics used during WWII, including aerial, sea-based, and other unconventional methods. Prepare a presentation that highlights the key features, objectives, and outcomes of each tactic. Use visuals and historical data to support your findings and present them to the class.
Create a scale model of a Shinyo or Heijon boat using materials like cardboard, plastic, or wood. Focus on the design features that made these boats unique. Present your model to the class, explaining the engineering and strategic considerations behind its design.
Participate in a class debate on the ethical implications of kamikaze tactics. Consider the perspectives of the Japanese military, the soldiers involved, and the Allied forces. Discuss the moral and strategic aspects of using such tactics in warfare.
Write an essay analyzing the impact of sea kamikaze tactics on the outcome of WWII. Consider factors such as their effectiveness, the resources invested, and their psychological impact on both Japanese and Allied forces. Use historical evidence to support your analysis.
Develop a timeline that traces the development and deployment of kamikaze tactics during WWII. Include key events, technological advancements, and major operations. Present your timeline to the class, highlighting how these tactics evolved over time.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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When you hear the word “kamikaze,” the first thing that comes to mind are Japanese suicide pilots crashing into the decks of enemy ships in World War II. These kamikaze pilots, known as the “divine wind” of the Japanese Imperial forces, were eager to sacrifice themselves for the Empire of Japan. However, committing the ultimate sacrifice was also performed by other means, including maritime alternatives to air suicide attacks, such as explosive speed boats, kamikaze torpedoes, submarines, and kamikaze frogmen.
Explosive speed boats were identified by Japanese commanders as the most effective alternative method to air kamikaze attacks. Both the Japanese Imperial Navy and the Japanese Imperial Army ran their own projects. The Navy version was known as the Shinyo, meaning “seaquake.” The project, which started in spring of 1944, aimed to create a light and fast boat armed with enough explosives to cause damage even to large enemy vessels. After a series of prototypes, the project resulted in the Shinyo Type 1 Mod 1.
In essence, the Mod 1 was a scaled-down torpedo boat using a 67-horsepower Toyota engine, measuring 16 feet 9 inches (5.1 meters) in length and made of wood. The Mod 1 could develop a speed of 23 knots. Its main armament was a 595-pound charge of high explosives placed in the bow, designed to detonate upon impact or via a manual switch. Later versions of the Mod 1 had one or two anti-ship rocket launchers mounted on the stern. The boats also had built-in cable cutters on the bow and in front of the cockpit to break through protective booms.
The overall design of the Shinyo was simple enough that production was established in both large and small shipyards and even at automobile factories. The plan was to build around 7,000 boats by the end of the war, but production was halted at 6,200. The more sophisticated model was the Shinyo Type 5, armed with two rocket launchers and a 13-millimeter heavy machine gun. The Type 5 was designed to serve as a leader’s boat that would provide cover fire for the Mod 1s.
The Imperial Japanese Army’s project was run under the cover name of Maru Rei. The Army developed two types of boats: one for training and one used in combat. The latter was known as the Heijon model. Heijons were constructed from plywood veneers and also used automobile engines, allowing speeds of up to 23 knots. The big difference from the Navy kamikaze boats was that the Heijon had no explosive charge; instead, they were armed with two depth charges meant to be dropped next to the hull of an enemy ship.
In parallel with the boats, the Japanese Navy worked on a project involving man-driven kamikaze torpedoes. The idea was devised in 1942, but it was only brought to the table in spring of 1944 when Imperial Japan began to face defeat. The project was carried out under the code name Kaiten, meaning “the great undertaking.” The first Kaiten Type 1 was completed in June 1944. It was a modification of the Type 93 Model 3 Long Lance torpedo, with the forward section extended to fit the pilot and a massive 3,420-pound warhead, enough to sink almost any American ship.
Unlike similar human torpedo concepts, the pilot was placed inside the pressure hull and directed the torpedo with the help of a periscope. The Kaiten 1 was designed to be launched from a submarine. Once launched, the Kaiten had a good range and could reach a speed of 30 knots. Its hull was strong enough to withstand a depth of 200 feet. Once close to the target, the pilot would level the torpedo to 16 feet to use his periscope.
Kaitens were built at the Kure Navy Yard, one of the largest Japanese shipyards. Three other Kaiten versions were designed, but the Type 1 remained the first choice for mass production. A total of 330 Kaiten Type 1s and its improved modification, the Type 1 Mod 1, were produced until the end of the war. When kamikaze attacks became a generally accepted doctrine, Japanese forces began to throw everything they had at the Allies, even considering submarines.
The Kuru and Kairu submarines had been in service since the beginning of the war. In 1944, they were assigned to missions with the order to ram into enemy ships. About 360 submarines were built for the decisive Ketsugo operation, but fortunately for the Allies, they never saw combat. The Ketsugo operation aimed to defend Japan from the impending Allied invasion and emphasized the use of kamikaze attacks for defense against landing troops.
The Japanese prepared a special type of suicide unit known as kamikaze frogmen, or “Fukuru,” meaning “crouching dragons.” These divers were equipped with special diving suits and breathing apparatuses and were armed with Type 5 mines with a 22-pound explosive charge attached to a long pole. The plan was to deploy Fukuru along the coast where the Allied landing was expected. Hundreds of suicide divers would be positioned at a depth of 13 to 20 feet in staggered rows, waiting for enemy landing craft in specially created concrete shelters.
Once the enemy arrived, Fukuru would attack them with the mines on their poles. The first frogman kamikaze unit, the 71st Tarashi, was established in summer 1945, with plans to deploy a total of 40,000 frogmen. However, the project was ultimately abandoned due to costs and the course of events. In the end, only the kamikaze torpedoes and boats saw action against the Allies.
Japanese commanders had high expectations for these weapons, recruiting crews from men aged 16 to 20, reservists, petty officers, and cadets—some volunteers and some not. The first Kaiten operation took place in November 1944, involving three submarines each armed with four kamikaze torpedoes. The targets were ships from the U.S. Navy’s Ulithi Atoll anchorage. Ships in anchorage were considered the best targets because they were static.
Out of the initial three submarines, only two reached the target area, and only one out of eight Kaitens launched hit the target—the USS Mississinewa, a fleet oiler filled with aircraft fuel. The hit resulted in a huge cloud of smoke, so powerful that it convinced the Japanese that several ships were hit. The Ulithi Atoll operation gave the Japanese the conviction that Kaiten attacks were worth the effort.
Over time, however, this would prove to be false hope due to the U.S. Navy’s highly effective anti-submarine operations. The number of Japanese submarines lost in action increased, while the number of Kaitens successfully hitting their targets decreased. Nevertheless, the Japanese continued with kamikaze sea attacks but switched to targets in the open sea. These targets were less protected but still managed to repel the majority of Kaiten attacks.
The last U.S. vessel to be sunk by a Kaiten was the USS Underhill, a destroyer escort, in July 1945. Unlike Kaitens, the Shinyo and Heijon kamikaze boats were planned for use in defensive operations against the Allied landing forces. Their success rate was slightly higher than Kaitens but still far from making any significant impact. A great number of kamikaze boats were destroyed while being transferred, and those that managed to reach their bases had some success in early 1945, but that was soon stopped by an aggressive American anti-kamikaze campaign.
Kamikaze boats were hunted down by U.S. Navy patrol torpedo boats and were also destroyed while still in their bases by aircraft attacks and naval gunfire. At Iwo Jima and Okinawa, kamikaze boats posed absolutely no threat to American landing craft. By the summer of 1945, sea kamikaze attacks had proven to be a massive failure.
This episode was brought to you by World of Warships. Use our exclusive code below to get two free ships: the St. Louis and the premium ship Emden. Click the link below to play World of Warships and collect an exclusive bonus starter pack. New players can register with the code “BOOM” to receive 200 doubloons, two and a half million credits, the two free ships, seven days of premium time, and more.
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Kamikaze – A Japanese aircraft loaded with explosives and making a deliberate suicidal crash on an enemy target during World War II. – During World War II, kamikaze pilots were used by Japan as a desperate measure to inflict damage on Allied naval vessels.
Tactics – The art or skill of employing available means to accomplish an end, particularly in military operations. – The generals devised new tactics to outmaneuver the enemy forces during the battle.
Boats – Small vessels for traveling over water, typically used for military purposes such as patrols or transport during wartime. – During World War II, patrol boats were essential for defending coastlines and intercepting enemy ships.
Torpedoes – Self-propelled underwater missiles launched from a ship, submarine, or aircraft, designed to explode on reaching a target. – Submarines used torpedoes to sink enemy ships during naval battles in World War II.
Submarines – Underwater naval vessels capable of independent operation, used especially during wartime for stealth attacks. – Submarines played a crucial role in naval warfare during World War II, often attacking enemy supply lines.
Japan – An island nation in East Asia, which was a major Axis power during World War II. – Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 led to the United States entering World War II.
Navy – The branch of a nation’s armed services that conducts military operations at sea. – The United States Navy was instrumental in securing victory in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Army – The branch of a nation’s armed services that conducts military operations on land. – The Allied army forces launched a massive invasion of Normandy on D-Day during World War II.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs, including significant military conflicts. – Understanding the history of World War II is crucial for learning about the causes and consequences of global conflicts.
World War II – A global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world’s nations, including the major powers divided into the Allies and the Axis. – World War II was marked by significant events such as the Battle of Stalingrad and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
