Comments by "Arthur Samson" (@Rekuzan) on "Extra History"
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SEPPUKU!!! The Japanese commanders did NOT commit suicide, they committed Seppuku, which has a multitude of distinctions from suicide, starting FIRST & FOREMOST with Honor. Honor needs to be addressed more thoroughly here as they only committed 'suicide' in literal name alone, and nothing more.
Ironically, religious beliefs of both the Japanese and the Americans (as well as a lot of both the Axis and Allied powers) were far more similar than command on either side was comfortable admitting (for obvi reasons), specifically in regards to suicide and the after-life consequences there of. Japanese empirical beliefs were still incredibly strong amongst their ranks at the time, especially in regards to the dishonor and shame suicide would bring to both oneself and one's family. And this was not only a 'wartime thing' but a staple of Japanese religious culture in general; both back then as well as to this day. Not nearly so much so these days as it was back then, but still remains ingrained into their culture today.
It was originally reserved only for Samurai back during the feudal era of Japan but it eventually worked it's way down through the rest of Japanese culture in the subsequent centuries to follow, and by WWII, had become commonplace as a safe 'opt-out' option under certain circumstances. While it was always more favorable for them to die in combat, in cases where the person in question was far too valuable to risk falling into enemy hands, they would always have this as a 'last resort option'. Don't get me wrong, it was always an option for the men in the trenches, yes, but again, they would have much rather died in combat at the hands of their enemies than their own.
In the end, the villagers hurling themselves off cliff's edge became an 'accepted form' of Seppuku, and was quite often used as a more 'efficient' means to accomplish this at the time. In the face of the most dire circumstances, it became necessary for the Japanese emperor to 'allow it' as an accepted form of Seppuku, bringing it within reach of the ordinary civilian with the limited 'resources' available to them when & where they were at. The wartime situation made it otherwise near impossible to accomplish this through conventional means, as it is a rather involved process, and was tantamount to the effectiveness of the Japanese propaganda machine as a whole.
The primary thing to keep in mind here is in order for it to preserve honor and allow them to save face, it MUST be performed DURING the heat of battle and can not happen after, otherwise it would bring the shame traditionally carried with the stigmata of committing suicide. If a Samurai fails in protecting their Shogun, and said Shogun dies during the battle, any Samurai left only have this one chance of preserving their honor through Seppuku, once they learn of this outcome. However, it must be carried out before they are captured or over-run and taken prisoner or worse, killed after their Shogun is. Unlikely, yes, but on occasion, some Samurai WOULD survive from time to time, and would THEN become Ronin; wandering Samurai, often seeking vengeance as it was usually the only path of redemption left to them.
Point is, they did not so much 'commit suicide' as they did choose their own destinies by becoming masters of it, ensuring their deaths would carry with it the same honor and post-humorous glory that it would have had they died on the battlefield themselves instead.
[Just thought you'd want to include this in your 'lies' section on WWII stuff sometime...]
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Uh, point of order; you actually WOULD be closer to the bottom of the ocean because modern day NG (Next Gen) commercial airlines (Boeing 737-800, 767, 777, Airbus A320 and A380, Lockheed, Douglas McDonnel, etc) fly higher than ever, and actually set cruise altitudes starting @ 36,000 feet and go UP from there. To 39,000 or even 40,000 ft as they are designed to be more fuel efficient at those higher altitudes. Sorry to burst your bubble It's still pretty impressive though.
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