The Divine Wind Blows

The term “kamikaze,” which translates to “divine wind” from Japanese, has its origins in an ancient tale where a Mongol invasion fleet was repelled by a providential typhoon. But during World War II, this term took on a new, darker meaning, as the Japanese military employed it to describe a tactic of suicide aircraft attacks against Allied naval vessels.

As the Battle of Leyte Gulf unfolded, the Imperial Japanese Navy, increasingly desperate in the face of Allied advances, deployed this new and terrifying weapon against the invasion fleet. The HMAS Australia, an Australian heavy cruiser, had the unfortunate distinction of being one of the first major warships to bear the brunt of this tactic.

On October 21, 1944, as preparatory naval bombardments raged and US troops commenced their landings on Leyte Island, HMAS *Australia* was part of the protective screen for the invasion fleet. That day, a lone Japanese aircraft, later identified as being from a kamikaze unit, broke through the protective cordon of fighter aircraft and dove straight for the Australia.

The plane struck the ship’s superstructure, just above the bridge. The impact and subsequent explosion wreaked havoc, causing significant damage to the ship and starting fires. The ship’s captain, Emile Dechaineux, was among the 30 men killed, and another 64 were wounded. Despite the severity of the damage, the cruiser’s crew managed to keep her operational.

This attack marked one of the first uses of the kamikaze tactic by the Japanese, but it was far from the last. Throughout the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the subsequent battles of the Pacific War, kamikaze attacks became an ever-present threat, causing significant damage and loss of life among the Allied fleets. For the Japanese, the kamikaze attacks were both a symbol of desperation and a manifestation of the Bushido spirit, emphasizing honor, sacrifice, and duty to the emperor and the nation.

For the Allies, these attacks emphasized the depths of Japanese resistance and underscored the lengths to which they would go to defend their territorial gains. The psychological impact of facing an enemy willing to sacrifice themselves in such a manner cannot be overstated.

While the HMAS Australia suffered from further kamikaze strikes in subsequent operations, her encounter on October 21 remains historically significant. It was a poignant introduction to a new era of warfare, where pilots, embodying a lethal blend of technology and desperation, became human-guided missiles. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was not only a clash of naval titans but also a crucible in which new and terrifying forms of warfare emerged.