Experts' Views on The Kamikaze A Swiss comment(from the Tribune de Geneve) of July 9, 1945:"The systematized fighting method called the Special Attack is extremely costly in men and materials, but in its effect it far surpasses that of ordinary aircraft. On May 24 the Japanese Special Attack Corps carried out a furious attack on American warships and transports near the Okinawa islands.In this attack, Japan lost 111pilots, but Americans suffered a total of 11warships and transports sunk. Personnel losses of the American Navy alone in the Battle of Okinawa reached 9,000 even according to the announcement of the Nimitz headquarters. The American Navy, having suffered extremely huge loses, was obliged to replace the Third Fleet with the Fifth Fleet. To kill enemy without being killed is common sense in war, but to expect and to choose death often brings about maximum results. The death blow that faces the pilot who plunges himself onto his objective at a speed of 1,000km/h is catastrophic. Yet such an enemy is to be respected."Pio Duran, a member of Philippine National Assembly, on Nov3,1944:"The Special Attack Corps has brought terror to the American naval and air forces in the Leyte sector...In addition, the bayonet charges made by the Japanese Imperial Army on Leyte Island are exacting a heavy toll among the enemy troops... I wish to say that the Special Attack Corps represents the spirit of Asia and deserves the emulation of all East Asian youth. One thing that is most remarkable about the Corps is that it is fighting in defence not of Japanese soil, but Filipino territory. Such noble sacrifice deserves the gratitude of all Philippine people and should make them ponder deeply on issues that have moved Japan into this titanic struggle. It should be clear to all Fillipinos that Japan's motives in this war are unselfish. Sacrificing the flower of her youth she has no other desire than to liberate East Asia form its former masters so that all East Asians may live together in peace and harmony and pursue their natural destinies, unhampered and undeterred by alien rulers, who, despite their profession of humanitarianism, are nothing but selfish exploiters."Ba Maw, wartime prime minister of Burma, in a speech at Hibiya Public Hall in Tokyo, Nov18,1944"The final issue in war will always depend upon the strength of the spirit behind the struggle. I say that the Kamikaze spirit, not weapons, will decide the East Asia War.... The materialism of the Anglo-Saxons will not be able to overcome this spirit. I say that the issue will be decided not by planes and tanks, but by the spirit of man, by the spirit of Kamikaze. In the East it will be decided by the Asiatic will to survive, the Asiatic will to live and conquer. And this struggle, as I read history, is at its roots the struggle of man's spirit against his envirronment."