Another kamikaze question?

Question

i read somewhere that the [kamikaze] is just one of more possible readings of the Japanes signs for the [divine wind]. what was the original Japanese term for them?

it was a wordplay, somewhat similar to the ohka/baka thing with Ohka being the original suicide bomb name meaning "cherry blossom" while Baka was the american equivalent meaning "fool"

Answer 1

Check out the section called "Definition and Etymology" in this article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze

"In the Japanese language, kamikaze (Japanese:神風), usually translated as "divine wind" (kami is the word for "God", "Spirit", or "Divinity"; and kaze for "wind"). The word kamikaze originated as the name of major typhoons in 1274 and 1281, which dispersed Mongolian invasion fleets.

In Japanese, the formal term used for units carrying out suicide attacks during 1944-45 is tokubetsu kōgeki tai (特別攻撃隊), which literally means "special attack unit." This is usually abbreviated to tokkōtai (特攻隊). More specifically, air suicide attack units from the Imperial Japanese Navy were officially called shinpū tokubetsu kōgeki tai (神風特別攻撃隊, "divine wind special attack units"). Shinpū is the on-reading (on'yomi or Chinese-derived pronunciation) of the same characters that form the word Kamikaze in Japanese. During World War II, the actual word Kamikaze was never, or rarely, used in Japan in relation to suicide attacks. U.S. translators during the war erroneously used the kun'yomi (indigenous Japanese pronunciation) for Shinpū, giving the English language the word kamikaze, for Japanese suicide units in general. This usage gained acceptance worldwide. After the war, Japanese speakers re-imported the word and the English language pronunciation, under the influence of U.S. media sources. As a result, the special attack units are sometimes known in Japan as kamikaze tokubetsu kōgeki tai."

Answer 2

I don't know what you're after. Hari Kiri?? I've done lots of reading on the subject and seems kamikazi is the word the ww2 pilots were always referred to, although I know the perception of the kamikazi did change after ww2 during and after the US Occupation, but now they are hero status again (scary!)

I did some more searching and possiby you mean "tokkotai" which means "Special Attack Force".

Answer 3

The divine wind is reference to typhoons that not once, but twice destroyed Mongol invasion fleets in 1274 and 1281.  After that the Japanese considered themselves as a "divine" race since they were saved by Godly interventions.  

Type in the word Kamikaze on Wikipedia.  As you read the article you will see two pictures of the USS Columbia CL-56 being hit by a Kamakaze.  The pictures are on either side of the title "Allied defensive tactics".  My Uncle was a Marine aboard the Columbia when that picture was taken.  The pictures were taken from the Destroyer Escort USS Abercrombie DE-343.  The complete story is chronicled in a great book entitled "Little Ship, Big War, The Saga of DE343".

I hope this will provide you with some good reading and knowledge.  

Sure wish the Japanese would have thrown in the towel after their defeat at the Philippines.  Would have saved so many lives.

Answer 4

As far as I know they were purposely called "divine wind".