I know a number of people here have a somewhat morbid fascination with the whole kamikaze ethos.... having read this article I have to say it was interesting as well as thought provoking!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,,1720082,00.html

Great find Ozzy.

I for one never understood what all the fuss was about.

  For further reading check out a new book titled "Blossoms in the Wind" by M.G. Sheftall.  I've been picking through it and found the the flight trainning for the Ohka flying bomb interesting.

Great read. 8) Enjoyed it.

  Is the book "Thunder Gods" still available.  If so where can I get a copy.

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I think it's fair to say this is the rule - not the exception - for most soldiers in World War II.  I'm not sure I'd say honor though.  Kind of a propagandist notion if you ask me.

It is honour when somebody dies for something he believes as a high value. It is the self sacrifice for no personal profit which lifts a human being higher than the fear of death. It has nothing to do with politics, it doesn't matter if we are talking about a WWII German, Japanese, British, American or any other nationality and alliance side soldier. They all had the chance to be heros, they all had the chance to be animals. Some did the first, some did the second and some did both.

If you ask about the war today... I cannot see anything but government games. On the other hand, maybe it was always the same. A simple person however, in the battle, goes beyond these "games".

I would like to add that as in chess a soldier is the less valued piece a real war soldier is the same. He can only kill and die. Killing is a duty. Been killed is the same. What is a good enough reward for this? Think a bit about this.

Imagine that enemy soldier living peacefully in a house and then one day he is forced to get a gun, leave everything behind and go to the battle with a huge possibility to be killed. He has to kill as well no matter if he wants it or not. Also, imagine those people he has left behind and they are waiting for him just hoping. Imagine all these and how inhuman is for each of us to kill that person. It seems already bad but is not the end.

Now, imagine that your own life (not only the life of that enemy soldier) means nothing to the government you have elected, you have paid taxes to, you have trusted. You are asked not to respect your own life and die for some "values" as if the human life is not an important value. Imagine all your loved ones when they will hear the news of your death. Gather all these together and consider yourself marching to the battle, to kill and die.

Am I wrong saying that anyone under these circumstances is a real hero?

Consider how important is a human life and think of the millions of lost lives during WWII. It is said that a death is tragedy but a million deaths is statistics.

Returning back to those government "games", consider how coward you would be if you had a quarel with someone and you commanded other people to quarel with your opponenent's people while you and your opponent just wait to see who will win just to talk about "victory".

Most of this post's readers will say I am a dreamer and they will be right but in any case what is a chess-soldier's best power than dreaming of reaching the other board's side without been killed?

Please accept my apologise for the extended post.

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I just don't understand how death is honourable.  Whether it was the Battle of Thermopylae or the Battle for Pyongyang.  I very much doubt any veteran is honestly proud about how many other men he's killed.  Even in this very article Mr. Hamazono says, "Mother ... that's the only word. You have only seconds left."  I believe these men fought for their families, their country and their life and went through unspeakable horrors to do so, a great many unwillingly as well.  For that they deserve our respect.  As such I would never include honour and veteran in the same sentence.  I imagine many of these men (and women) try to forget those days.  Why would you try to forget honour?

It's only honourable after it's been romanticized.