kamikaze
pronunciation
How to pronounce kamikaze in British English:
UK [ˌkæmɪˈkɑ:zi]
How to pronounce kamikaze in American English:
US [ˌkæmɪ'kɑzɪ]
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- Noun:
- a fighter plane used for suicide missions by Japanese pilots in World War II
- a pilot trained and willing to cause a suicidal crash
Word Origin
- kamikaze (n.)
- "suicide flier," 1945, Japanese, literally "divine wind," from kami "god, providence, divine" (see kami) + kaze "wind." Originally the name given in folklore to a typhoon which saved Japan from Mongol invasion by wrecking Kublai Khan's fleet (August 1281). The attacks began in October 1944 off the Philippines. As an aside, at war's end, the Japanese had, by actual count, a total of 16,397 aircraft still available for service, including 6,374 operational fighters and bombers, and if they had used only the fighters and bombers for kamikaze missions, they might have realized, additionally, 900 ships sunk or damaged and 22,000 sailors killed or injured. In fact, however, the Japanese had outfitted many aircraft, including trainers, as potential suicide attackers. As intelligence estimates indicated, the Japanese believed they could inflict at least 50,000 casualties to an invasion force by kamikaze attacks alone. [Richard P. Hallion, "Military Technology and the Pacific War," 1995] As an adjective by 1946.
Example
- 1. A kamikaze suicide squad was a special attack corps .
- 2. Any critically damaged subs should be used to kamikaze attack your opponent 's stingrays as a last ditch effort to deal maximum damage .
- 3. Will it evolve into a western-style private bank ( preferably without the kamikaze gene ) , a path that the previous management team favoured ?
- 4. Kamikaze piiots committed suicide , cai .
- 5. Meanwhile , the kamikaze continues to blow .