# Were the Japanese Banzai attacks in WWII part of their military doctrine?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-japanese-banzai-attacks-in-wwii-part-of-their-military-doctrine/685200>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 2, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-japanese-banzai-attacks-in-wwii-part-of-their-military-doctrine/685200 "2014-04-02T21:40:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-japanese-banzai-attacks-in-wwii-part-of-their-military-doctrine/685200/41 "2014-04-08T02:16:22Z")

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> [@Hypno-Toad](#):
>
> [Here is a wartime document](http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/intelligence-report/japanese-impressions.html) of Japanese opionions of American fighting style. I like that it describes our supply facilities as “Extravagant.”
> 
> [Here’s another.](http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/intelligence-report/estimate-us-tactics.html)
> 
> [And here’s](http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/intelligence-report/japanese-observers.html) American viewpoints from first hand accounts.

That’s the second fascinating history link I’ve found on the straightdope today.

You can see some of the self delusion in the Japanese report when it says stuff like: “The Americans put great faith in their superior artillery, but we believe we can counter the enemy’s advantage with our superior bayonet skills.” That sounds like something a general would have said during the American Civil War right before he went on to lead his men to a spectacular defeat.

I do find it oddly interesting that both the Americans and the Japanese admitted that they thought the opposing side had sweet hand grenade skills.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-japanese-banzai-attacks-in-wwii-part-of-their-military-doctrine/685200/42 "2014-04-08T02:37:41Z")

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> [@SecretaryofEvil](#):
>
> That sounds like something a general would have said during the American Civil War right before he went on to lead his men to a spectacular defeat.

Or, was previously mentioned, the French during the Great War.

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