The Self-Sacrifice Phenomenon of Soviet and Japanese Pilots in the Second World War: Comparative Analysis

In the article the author examines the phenomenon of self-sacrifice of Soviet and Japanese pilots during World War II using the examples of their ram attacks of ground and abovewater targets. The analysis of the specifics of the exploits of Japanese kamikaze and Soviet pilots who executed “fire ramming” during World War II, allowed to reveal qualitative differences between the Soviet and Japanese concepts of self-sacrifice. For Soviet airforce pilots in contrast to the Japanese ones, death was not the goal and end in itself. They were well aware of the value of their lives, but in exceptional circumstances they were ready to voluntarily, selflessly and consciously sacrifice it for the sake of the lives of others.