| Item title: | Defects arising from the doctrine of "spiritual superiority" as factors in Japanese military psychology |
| Title (kanji) |  |
| Location: | Australian War Memorial (AWM55 12/53 part 7) View information about obtaining a copy of this document |
AJRP details | |
| AJRP module: | Australian War Memorial official records |
| AJRP series: | Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) publications |
| AJRP sub-series: | ATIS research reports |
| AJRP folder: | |
Location details | |
| Institution: | Australian War Memorial |
| Call number: | AWM55 12/53 part 7 |
| Inst. series: | AWM55 |
| Inst. sub-series: | AWM55 12/- |
| Item: | RR-76 part 6 |
Item qualities | |
| Quantity / desc: | 31 pages |
| Access: | Open |
| Item type: | Unpublished, Official |
| Category: | Information report |
Item content | |
| Creation date (d/m/y): | 10/10/1945 |
| Conflict code: | Pacific War (1941-1945) |
| Keywords: | MILITARY TRAINING, MORALE, RESEARCH, PRISONERS OF WAR, SUICIDE, DEATH, PROPAGANDA, TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY |
| Australian unit names: | |
| Allied unit names: | |
| Japanese unit names: | |
| Names: | |
| Languages: | English |
| Area: | Japan–Formosa Melanesia (PNG, Irian Jaya & Solomon Islands) |
| Content: | This is an Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) research report issued on 10 October 1945 on the doctrine of "spiritual superiority" and its influence on Japanese military conduct and forms part of a 6-part series intended to give a documented exposition of Japanese psychology. This report contains information on the theory of "spiritual superiority" and the problems this posed for Japanese battle tactics and soldiers. Themes addressed include reckless attacks, human bullets, unpreparedness for defeat, reactions to defeat, disillusionment and poor morale, withdrawal without orders, deterioration due to garrison duty, recognition of Allied superiority, intoxication, and the human desire to live. Another section of the report deals with the consequences of the preoccupation with death including suicide, contempt for safety devices (parachutes and protective devices), the disgrace of illness and indifference to suffering towards Japanese and non-Japanese. The report also includes a section on the Japanese underestimation of material power, the disillusionment among soldiers, aircrew and seamen about their technological inferiority and the defects of the "no prisoner policy". ATIS researchers concluded that the failure of the "spiritual superiority" doctrine to yield success on the battlefield had confused the Japanese military leadership, caused unnecessary loss of life and fostered disillusionment among many soldiers. Also, owing to the code that no Japanese would become a prisoner of war, planned security training had been limited and provided intelligence advantages to Allied interrogators. The report also suggested there was some evidence that prisoners felt that capture was the equivalent to a "rebirth" and transferred their allegiance to their captors. |
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Other information | |
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| Last modified: | 03/05/2009 09:01:21 AM |
| Source: | AJRP staff |
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