Kamikaze Attacks of World War II

Robin L. Rielly spent many years as an educator, specializing in international relations, Asian studies and American history. He also served as the Historian/Archivist for the USS LCS(L) 1-130 Association, a World War II veteran’s group. This is his sixth book dealing with American Naval history.

• Table of ContentsPreface      Introduction      Part One—The Genesis of the Kamikazes, Their Organization, and Disposition1. The Development of the Samurai Class and Its Ethos      2. Kamikaze Traditions      3. Special Attack Aircraft      4. Development of the Tokko-tai      5. Tactics      6. Kamikazes on Land and Sea      Part Two—The Kamikaze Chronicles: A Detailed Account of the Attacks7. Prelude to Mayhem      8. The December Kamikazes, 1944      9. Lingayen Gulf      10. Taiwan, Iwo Jima, and Ulithi      .      11. Okinawa and the Ten Go Campaign      12. The Invasion of Okinawa, Week One      13. The Onslaught Continues      14. “...We Cleaned Up the Bodies...”      15. A Miserable May      16. The War Winds Down      17. Ketsu Go: Defending the Homeland      Appendix I: U.S. Navy and Merchant Marine Ships Damaged or Sunk by Kamikaze Attacks, 1942–1945      Appendix II: Ship Types      Appendix III: American and Japanese Aircraft      Chapter Notes      Bibliography      Index      .

“the author has brought together every suicide attack he could positively identify...this compendium will undoubtedly be useful to future writers, and is a record one cannot resist reading with horror and regret for the lives wasted in what seem to us now a futile gesture”—Library Journal; “a thorough account...a very solid, fact-based synopsis of the Japanese suicide forces...the perfect book for someone who wants an understanding of the development and employment of special attack forces...nicely illustrated...almost certainly the best book on the subject. Highly recommended”—Stone & Stone Second World War Books; “in its extensive research, range, depth and detail, historian Rielly’s work is the most important book to appear on the suicide attacks of World War II, and deserves to stand at the head of kamikaze literature”—National Association of USS LCS Newsletter; “an exhaustive study”—The National Association of Destroyer Veterans; “valuable”—The NYMAS Review.