Kamikaze (神風, pronounced [kamiꜜkaze]; "divine wind" or "spirit wind") pilots, officially known as the Shinpuu Tokubetsu Kougekitai (神風特別攻撃隊, "Divine Wind Special Attack Unit"), were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of Imperial Japanese Navymilitary aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II.
They were first deployed during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Their main purpose was to destroy warships more effectively than with conventional air attacks by crashing their explosive filled aircraft directly into the enemy ships. About 3,800 kamikaze pilots died during the war, and more than 7,000 U.S. naval personnel were killed by kamikaze attacks.
