In Japan's military history, the spirit of "Jade Broken" is deeply rooted in the hearts of soldiers, and this spiritualism was greatly demonstrated during World War II. The most direct manifestation of this is the "Long Live Assault", a tactic that uses the romanticization and idealization of death in order to set off a wave of frenzy in difficult battle situations.
"A real man would rather be a piece of jade than a complete tile."
The origin of broken jade
The term "Jade Broken" comes from ancient Chinese texts and refers to the spirit of dying for dignity and honor. This spirit has continued to ferment in the long history of Japan, especially in the era of Japanese militarism after the Meiji Restoration. Emphasizing the obligations and honor of soldiers became the cornerstone for training soldiers such as Tano. Japan's military government borrowed ideas from Bushido, which taught people that it was the greatest honor not to succumb to the enemy and to rather die than surrender. In this context, the "Banzai Raid" gradually became a ritual suicide attack that reflected absolute loyalty to the emperor and the country.
"Death is defined as an obligation, and war is a process of cleansing the soul."
The Banzai Assault of World War II
During World War II, the "Banzai Raid" became common usage among the Imperial Japanese Army. When Japanese forces faced defeat, commanders would order a mid-battle assault as a last-ditch effort. This tactic has been fully verified in several battles in the United States. In the Battle of Guadalcanal, facing the powerful firepower of the US military, the Japanese army launched a surprise attack at a huge cost, but in the end they could not withstand the US gunfire.
"Most of the Japanese soldiers who participated in the assault were killed, and even the commander committed suicide."
At Makin Island in the South Pacific, Japanese defenders fearlessly launched an assault following a U.S. naval assault. However, this courageous act also ushered in disastrous results, and most of the soldiers died in the ambush. A similar situation happened again in the battle of Attu Island, and the remaining Japanese soldiers also chose to bid farewell to the battlefield with an assault. They would rather die than surrender to their enemies, an ethos that was a manifestation of morbid military romanticism.
The turbulent situation and the broken spirit
As World War II progressed, the spirit of jade broken became the belief of the Japanese army in many battles. For example, during the battle on Saipan, nearly 4,300 Japanese soldiers launched the "Banzai Assault" as ordered when encountering strong firepower from the US military. In the end, the charge was frustrated and almost the entire army was annihilated. Because Japan's top commanders firmly believe that suicide is the most honorable outcome, they appear relatively indifferent to the lives of soldiers.
"Even in the face of complete defeat, Japanese soldiers still maintained the courage to resist."
In the "Battle of Mulan Village" in Manchuria, soldiers of the Japanese 278th Regiment faced the siege of the Soviet Red Army and chose to carry out the "Banzai Assault". Although this move demonstrated the indomitable spirit of the soldiers, it could not change the direction of the war. In the end, they could not escape the fate of being annihilated.
Conclusion
The "Banzai Raid" is not only a tactic adopted by the Japanese army during World War II, but is also closely related to its ancient cultural traditions and moral concepts. The "Jade Broken Spirit" presented behind this not only affected decision-making on the battlefield, but also promoted the development of Japanese militarism. Although some commanders realized the ineffectiveness of this tactic and chose to ban it, in many cases this unique view of honor still dominated the actions of soldiers. In the long course of history, for the sake of honor and dignity, is it really necessary to regard life as a price that one cannot bear to bear?