Japan's controversial WWII heroes: How one kamikaze pilot escaped certain death

Read full story on France24
Share
Japan's controversial WWII heroes: How one kamikaze pilot escaped certain death
AI disclosure

Summary

Towards the end of World War II, as US troops advanced across the Pacific, Japan resorted to a desperate strategy: kamikaze attacks. Thousands of Japanese pilots, with an average age of just 21, were ordered to crash their explosive-laden planes into enemy ships. More than 3,800 pilots gave up their lives, killing over 7,000 allied naval personnel. Our reporter Mélodie Sforza met one of the last surviving former kamikaze pilots.

Original reporting

Open original source

Related coverage

Read full article on France24

Get the AFBytes Brief

Major stories, AI-assisted analysis, and what to watch next. Free, monthly, unsubscribe anytime.