Yutaka Yokota

3982. Suicide Submarine! (formerly The Kaiten Weapon), by Yutaka Yokota with Joseph D Harrington (read 4 Feb 2005) This book, first published in 1962, is by a guy who at 18 entered the Japanese navy and was selected to operate a manned suicide submarine. His fanaticism and that of his fellows in the program permeates the book. These submarines did not work very well, and only 2 US ships were ever sunk by them, a tanker and a destroyer escort. 8 Japanese submarines and about 900 Japanese lives were lost in the program involving these manned torpedoes, which seldom seemed to work. This book is exciting at times and death stared the author in the face several times, but he survived. The book bristles with the eagerness with which he looked forward to dying while sinking a big ship. And his dismay over the surrender reminded me of the amazing book, Japan's Longest Day, compiled by The Pacific War Research Society, which I read with still remembered excitement on Apr 11, 1982, and which tells hour by hour the events from noon on Aug 14, 1945, to noon on Aug 15, 1945, during which time fanatic officers sought to prevent Hirohito from surrendering.… (meer)