Buzz
While suicide bombing is now closely associated with terrorism, this was not always the case. It was once a standard tactic used by established armies, especially by the Axis powers in World War II. The kamikaze pilots of Japan serve as a prime example. These pilots were trained to deliberately crash their planes into Allied naval vessels.
Other nations took even more extreme measures, including embedding soldiers inside missiles. Remarkably, the United States Air Force nearly adopted this tactic as well. Below are ten of the most bizarre instances in which different groups attempted (and at times succeeded) in transforming soldiers into suicide weapons.
10. Kaiten
The kaiten were Japan's underwater counterpart to the kamikaze aircraft. Much like their airborne equivalents, the pilots of these torpedo submarines were tasked with steering them into enemy ships, sacrificing their lives in the process. Development on the kaiten began in February 1944, with a prototype being deployed by July of the same year.
Rather than being a true submarine, the kaiten was closer to a torpedo, powered by a torpedo engine. The pilot’s sole role was to direct it toward its target. Early prototypes allowed pilots to bail out as the torpedo neared its target, but most pilots preferred not to escape. Later designs eliminated this escape option.
A kaiten pilot had two chances to strike their target. If the second opportunity was missed, they were expected to detonate both themselves and the torpedo. The kaiten's main limitation was its inability to dive deeply, which made it vulnerable to Allied attacks. Some missed their targets, while others failed to detonate even upon impact.
Despite these limitations, the Japanese navy did succeed in launching kaiten attacks on US ships. The USS Underhill was among the casualties, sinking on July 24, 1945, after being struck by six kaiten. Japan halted kaiten attacks just a week before its surrender.
9. Fieseler Fi 103R
During World War II, Britain found itself under attack from the notorious V-1 flying bombs launched from Nazi-controlled territories. The V-1 raids were as terrifying as they were effective. But they would have paled in comparison to the Fieseler Fi 103R, the manned variant of the V-1.
By 1944, as Germany's fortunes in the war were declining, some audacious ideas began to surface. One proposal was to launch manned missiles from bombers. German high command liked the idea but thought it would be even more effective if a person could be inside the rocket. Since the V-1 had already proven successful, it became the vehicle of choice.
Initially, the pilot wasn't expected to die in the mission. The plan was for them to guide the Fi 103R to its target and eject before impact. However, this escape plan turned out to be impossible, as the process would interfere with the aircraft's operation.
Unlike the V-1, which was aimed at British cities, the Fieseler Fi 103R was intended to target Allied ships in the English Channel. Nearly 200 Fi 103Rs were produced during the war. Fortunately for the Allies, the Nazis never deployed them, as German high command ultimately lost interest in the weapon.
8. Proxy Bombings
While contemporary Islamist extremist groups often use ideological manipulation to coerce individuals into driving bomb-filled vehicles, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) employed an even more horrific and underhanded method during its long-standing conflict with the British government.
The IRA targeted those with connections to the British government. By taking their families hostage, they forced victims to drive vehicles packed with explosives into British targets. These bombings were both deadly and highly controversial. In some cases, the driver had mere seconds to escape before the explosion, though they were not always so fortunate.
A particularly tragic case involved Patsy Gillespie. In June 1990, he was coerced into driving his wife’s vehicle, rigged with bombs, to the police station where he worked as a cook. He complied, and the IRA spared his family for a time. Four months later, they returned and forced him to drive another bomb-laden car to a military checkpoint. The explosion killed Patsy and five soldiers.
7. Maiale
The maiale (meaning “pig” in Italian) was a manned torpedo developed in Italy during World War II. The project began in 1935, driven by fears that the Italian navy was surrounded by British and French forces in the Mediterranean Sea. When World War II broke out in 1939, Italy launched the first maiale in the Mediterranean.
Measuring 5 meters (16 feet) long, the maiale was equipped with either a 300-kilogram (662 lb) warhead or two 150-kilogram (331 lb) warheads. Two crewmen would ride the torpedo into enemy harbors. Upon reaching the target ship, the crew detached the front section of the torpedo, which held the warhead, attached it to the enemy vessel, and then fled before it exploded.
The maiale's initial deployment was unsuccessful. One was shot down by an aircraft, and the other was forced to retreat after coming under fire. However, in December 1941, it proved effective by sinking two British battleships and a tanker in Alexandria, Egypt. Sadly, the crew was captured before they could escape.
The maiale continued to serve in the Italian navy and was extensively used against British and Allied merchant ships until Italy signed an armistice with the Allies in September 1943. Despite its success, it was difficult to maneuver and prone to sinking. Due to its unreliability, it earned the nickname “The Pig.” Many torpedoes were lost during testing.
6. Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka
The Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka was one of Japan’s notorious kamikaze aircraft. It was feared as much as it was lethal. Uniquely, it was rocket-powered, which set it apart from most Allied aircraft that relied on propeller-driven engines.
The concept behind the Ohka was straightforward. When an Allied invasion was detected, Mitsubishi G4M2e bombers would carry and release swarms of Ohkas to dive toward the advancing enemy. Once in proximity, the pilot would ignite the rocket engines, sending the deadly aircraft racing toward its target.
The first combat deployment of the Ohka ended in catastrophe, with all 16 bombers carrying them being destroyed before reaching the target. A few bombers did manage to release their Ohkas, but they were far off course. Despite later successes in using the Ohka against US ships, production was halted due to the vulnerability of the larger G4M2e bombers to Allied attacks.
5. Sonderkommando Elbe
Sonderkommando Elbe was a unique unit of Luftwaffe (Nazi Germany’s air force) pilots trained to deliberately crash their planes into Allied aircraft. As World War II drew to a close, with Germany on the verge of defeat, the Germans began resorting to increasingly desperate tactics. One of these was the Fieseler Fi 103R, and another was removing weapons and armor from aircraft and directing pilots to ram them into enemy planes.
This idea only worsened Germany's already dire situation. Despite having superior aircraft, Germany lacked the numbers—both in pilots and planes. By turning their planes into guided missiles, they effectively reduced the available fleet and manpower. While the pilots were expected to bail out before crashing, escaping would not have been easy under such circumstances.
The strategy of crashing airplanes into Allied forces was largely ineffective in battle. Although some Allied bombers were destroyed, Germany lost more aircraft than the Allies. Moreover, while the Allies quickly replaced their planes, Germany struggled to rebuild its fleet, which further weakened the Luftwaffe's position.
4. Bomi
The Bomi originates from the United States, and its name translates to “Bomber-Missile.” It was conceived during the Cold War, a time when both the US and Russia were focused on creating new technologies for delivering nuclear warheads into each other’s territories.
The idea was developed by Bell Aircraft Corporation. They proposed the concept of a pilot guiding an intercontinental ballistic missile into Moscow. The missile was divided into two sections, with a crew of three—two crew members in the rear compartment responsible for launching the missile from base.
In flight, the rear compartment would detach and return to base, while the third crew member in the forward compartment would ascend into space before gliding down into Moscow. The pilot was expected to guide the missile toward its target and bail out. The concept of bailing out seems ridiculous, considering the pilot would likely remain within range of the 18,14-kilogram (4,000 lb) nuclear warhead.
The US Air Force ultimately abandoned the idea since the missile was unable to reach Moscow. Moreover, the US government preferred delivering nuclear weapons to Russia through bombers or missiles, not a hybrid of both.
3. Marder
The marder was a compact, one-man submarine developed in Nazi Germany. The design was intended to keep the operator safe, though it frequently resulted in death. It was an upgraded version of the earlier neger submarine, addressing some of the neger’s flaws, particularly its inability to stay submerged for long periods.
Despite the improvements, the marder wasn’t significantly superior to the neger. While it could submerge, its depth was limited to 30 meters (100 ft), and it usually operated between 13.7 and 15.2 meters (45-50 ft) for safety. Going deeper than that was considered suicidal.
Both submarines carried a single torpedo, which the pilot would launch before attempting to escape the area. However, escaping was not easy for either design. Although the marder did have some success against Allied vessels, it was still deemed an ineffective weapon, as a third of the pilots perished during their missions.
2. Shinyo
By this stage, it’s clear that the Japanese were so resolute in halting the Allied forces that they regularly employed suicide attacks as part of their military strategy. The shinyo (“sea quake”) boats were yet another suicide weapon used by the Japanese. These boats were essentially modified torpedo boats packed with deadly explosives.
Two variations of the shinyo boats were created. The first, intended for the navy, involved ramming enemy ships, sacrificing the pilot while inflicting significant damage to the target. The second type, developed for the army, was designed to drop depth charges around enemy vessels before the pilot made an attempt to flee. While pilots were not meant to die during the attack, the boats often lacked the speed to escape, and many pilots perished as a result of the depth charges detonating.
1. Fukuryu
The Fukuryu, or 'Lurking Dragons,' were Japan’s equivalent of modern-day suicide bombers during World War II. Soldiers enlisted in this unit were equipped with bamboo poles carrying 15-kilogram (33 lb) explosives. Their mission was to sneak into enemy harbors, affix the bombs to ships, and detonate them, killing themselves in the process while damaging or sinking the enemy vessels.
Interestingly, many divers did not survive even before reaching the ships. This was due to their unconventional method of oxygen supply: their helmets were connected to a tank filled with caustic lye. As the divers exhaled, the gas mixed with the lye to produce oxygen, which they inhaled again. The idea was to inhale clean air through the nose and exhale into a tube leading to the lye tank.
Failure to follow this intricate breathing process could cause quick unconsciousness. Around 50 divers died during training due to inhaling the lye. At times, water would enter the tank, transforming the lye into a dangerous gas. Getting caught in seaweed was also a common problem. Those who survived without detonating their bombs often suffered from severe respiratory issues and brain damage.
