In the middle of World War II, when Japanese victory seemed distant and they did not want to surrender, the Japanese resorted to a never before seen warfare technique previously. Between October 1944 and August 1945, more than 3,000 Japanese Army and Navy pilots died intentionally by crashing their planes into Allied ships. These warriors are often known as suicide bombers. Kamikaze is a Japanese word that translates to Divine Wind. Kamikaze warriors committed the ultimate act of sacrifice for their country and were glorified for this act. Suicide in war and terrorism is a very deadly tactic and is becoming more and more prevalent today. Understanding the reasons that led to the birth of the suicide bomber can help us understand the appeal and success of suicide warfare. Researchers have attempted to explain these phenomena as the result of brainwashing, extreme poverty, emotional dysfunction, or feelings of hopelessness. This formula can also be applied to why the Japanese resorted to suicide as a military tactic. The tradition of Japanese samurai warriors, economic necessity during war, and sheer desperation largely contributed to the birth of the suicide bomber. Suicide used as an act of terrorism can be seen as early as the first century AD with the Jewish Zealots and the Sicarii. , the 12th century Ismaili assassins and the anti-colonial movements of Malabar. The resort to suicide in these cases is widely seen as the result of early education, the emergence of charismatic and ambitious leaders, conflicts in occupied territories, and the use of religion to manipulate followers so that they kill in the name of God. The Japanese are no exception to this trend. Japanese samurai tradition and the Bushido code of ethics promoted middle of paper...... learn the means of prevention and protection against this increasingly deadly and widespread act of terrorism. This act does not have to be carried out by a group or in war, but can be accomplished by a single individual willing to sacrifice themselves while killing thousands in the process. Works CitedBloom, Mia. Dying to kill: the allure of suicide terror. New York: Columbia University Press, 2005. Chaliand, Gérard, Arnaud Blin, Edward D. Schneider, Kathryn Pulver, and Jesse Browner. The history of terrorism: from Antiquity to Al-Qaeda. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007. Gambetta, Diego. Making sense of suicide missions. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Nitobe, InazoÌ„. Bushido, the soul of Japan. 12th ed. Tokyo: Teibi Pub. Co., 19071904.Worden, William L.. "Kamikaze: Banzai Aerial Charge." The Saturday Evening Post, June 23, 1945.