Posted By: Alan John Dines
Posted On: February 2, 2018
Curriculum Review – Alan Dines
American History/World History
Grades 7 – 9 Geibel Catholic Jr. / Senior High School
I would like to know if the material is relevant to the stated objectives of my lesson and whether it is age appropriate. The teacher’s guide and film titled “Wings of Defeat – Once, we were Kamikaze” written by Gary Mukai, is both.
The teacher’s guide and film is an outstanding presentation of the true feelings and reflective thoughts of Japanese fliers who were ordered to give up their lives in an attempt to slow the American advance in World War II. These men survived to tell their tale by the luck of fate or the fact the war had ended. The Western Allies believed the Kamikaze (Divine Wind) act of crashing their planes into ally ships was an act of a desperate people that had no regard for human life. When you listen to the individuals and their families retell their stories, you slowly begin to understand that becoming Kamikaze was a complex and difficult personal experience. It will bring their strong sense of nationalism, duty, and dedication to their Emperor into conflict with their own personal relations and beliefs. War brings death to many, in many ways. Is there much difference between a sacrificial bayonet charge into your enemies line or climbing into a plane and flying it into your enemies ships? No one wants to die unless it’s for a greater perceived good, and that was true for the Kamikaze. The film and guide offer a much better understanding of the human drama that the Kamikaze endured and why they did what they did.
There are so many applications for this film and teachers guide that it’s almost too good to be true. I would suggest the following:
1) A psychological study in comparing and analyzing the motivation of suicide attacks throughout history.
2) The influence of nationalism, duty, and religion on suicide attacks.
3) The ways humans deal with conflict and resolution.
4) Research the impact of American propaganda on the understanding of the Kamikaze.
5) Discuss the morals of the Kamikaze Vs the American use of the Atomic Bomb.
6) In what ways did the Kamikaze experience change the lives of pilots who did not die.
7) There are many others.
I give this film and teacher guide 5 out of 5 stars