Yeah, Chuck, suicide as atonement for disaster goes back a long way but, as you pointed out, usually applied to commanders.
The Japanese made suicide a matter of duty for the grunts which was a whole different kettle of fish.
I read a fascinating little book one time which was essentially the diaries of Japanese soldiers picked up by American intelligence after various battles. The diarists were all dead of course...and usually by their own hand. They would write something like "we can see the enemy entering the far end of the valley. It is time to die." Then, in many cases, they would all kill themselves without bothering to fight first. The shame of capture was so deeply ingrained that many would not risk being disabled by shellfire before they could carry out "their duty" to the emperor.
Talk about putting the cart before the horse! I wish I could remember the name of that book. I'd love to read it again. It was one of the most depressing things I ever read.
The Japanese made suicide a matter of duty for the grunts which was a whole different kettle of fish.
I read a fascinating little book one time which was essentially the diaries of Japanese soldiers picked up by American intelligence after various battles. The diarists were all dead of course...and usually by their own hand. They would write something like "we can see the enemy entering the far end of the valley. It is time to die." Then, in many cases, they would all kill themselves without bothering to fight first. The shame of capture was so deeply ingrained that many would not risk being disabled by shellfire before they could carry out "their duty" to the emperor.
Talk about putting the cart before the horse! I wish I could remember the name of that book. I'd love to read it again. It was one of the most depressing things I ever read.
