Japanese Special Attack Units

During World War 2, Japan’s special attack units (特別攻撃隊) carried out suicide missions, most famously involving kamikaze pilots. These units targeted Allied ships in the Pacific, sacrificing their lives to inflict damage in the face of mounting losses. While primarily associated with Japan, many such missions also originated from Taiwan, where a growing number of units were based as desperation set in toward the end of the war. Several kamikaze airbases remain in some form, most prominently the many facilities associated with Yilan North Airfield and Yilan South Airfield. There are also a handful of sites scattered around the country that were staging grounds for shinyo (suicide boats), of which ten squadrons were based in Taiwan.