The Foreign Service Journal, September 2004

On Oct. 19, 1944, Onishi called a staff meeting. “As you know, the war situation is grave,” he stated. “There is only one way of assuring that our meager strength will be effective to a maximum degree. That is to organize suicide attack units.” Onishi picked the name kamikaze (“divine wind” or “divine intervention”) after the legendary typhoon that prevented the Mongol fleet from invading and conquering Japan in the 13th cen- tury. The Kamikaze Special Attack Corps was born. Kamikaze volunteers signed on just in time to terror- ize thousands of American sailors and airmen during three major naval operations: the landings at Leyte, the epic Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the invasion of Luzon at Lingayen Gulf. Today, 60 years later, the story of the kamikazes echoes eerily in the phenomenon of suicide bombing in the Middle East and the extremist terrorism brought home to Americans on 9/11. A Secret Weapon On Oct. 20, 1944, the liberation of the Philippines began when beachheads in Leyte were established and American troops poured inland, initially with little resis- tance. General MacArthur, accompanied by Philippine Commonwealth President Sergio Osmena, Brigadier General Carlos P. Romulo and American commanders, waded ashore at Beach Red in Palo. Moments later MacArthur broadcast a message to the Filipinos that he had just redeemed his pledge to return to the Philippines. Yet unbeknownst to MacArthur, a secret weapon to counter the invasion was being readied for takeoff the next day. The weapon: a kamikaze strike using Zero fighter planes, each carrying a 550-pound bomb, with pilots bent on crash-diving into U.S. ships. Early on Oct. 21, 1944, the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps made its debut from Cebu’s Lahug Airport. During the launching, Lieutenant (jg) Yoshiyasu Kuno positioned his Zero fighter aircraft first on the runway, followed by Ensign Chisato Kunihara piloting the second Zero. At the rear, two more fighters were ready for take- off as escorts to protect them against American interceptors. At daybreak in Leyte, the formation was met, not by fighter interceptors, but by heavy flak that shot down two of the planes. However, one kamikaze managed to crash-dive into the bridge of the HMAS Australia , damaging the cruiser and killing Captain Deschaineux and 19 other Australian Navy per- sonnel. The Allies did not know then that what had hit them was the “inaugural” kamikaze sortie from Cebu. The massive American flotilla off Leyte’s east coast included warships from the U.S. Third Fleet under Admiral “Bull” Halsey, and the U.S. Seventh Fleet under Admiral Thomas Kinkaid. They numbered 17 fleet and 18 escort aircraft carriers, 12 battleships, 28 cruisers, 150 destroyers, and hundreds of amphibious landing craft and transport ships. On board was the vanguard of the 175,000 troops of the U.S. Sixth Army. The aircraft carriers and cruisers were deemed prior- ity targets by the kamikazes. The first order to the kamikazes read: “Do not be in too much of a hurry to die. If you cannot find your target, turn back; next time you may find a more favorable opportunity. Choose a death which brings about a maximum result.” MacArthur in Their Sights While cruising in the Philippine Sea to shield the Leyte invasion, “Bull” Halsey’s Third Fleet came under attack from Admiral Soemu Toyoda’s Combined Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Thus began the epic Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval engagement in history, on Oct. 23, 1944. The kamikazes flew 55 missions during this air and sea combat. Their participation sealed a rep- utation for wrecking havoc on the American fleet. Nevertheless, Toyoda met an ignominious defeat, losing F O C U S 52 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 4 Jose Armilla is a former Foreign Service officer who served in Vietnam, Chile and Hong Kong. He is the author of Negotiate with Feng Shui: Enhance Your Skills in Diplomacy, Business & Relationships (Llewellyn Publications, 2001) and is a feng shui con- sultant to CEOs. Unbeknownst to MacArthur, a secret weapon was being readied: a kamikaze strike using Zero fighter plans, each carrying a 550-pound bomb, with pilots bent on crash-diving into U.S. ships.