Diplomacy, Propaganda, and Motivation

Postwar Reconciliation

Following the end of the war, Japan was in a dire and devastating state. Cherry trees were either dead or plucked from the ground to make space for farming and the post wartime experience left it's relationships with former adversaries in a sour atmosphere. To counter these images of militarism and war, Japan utilized the cherry blossom. Symbolizing renewal, peace, and beauty in life, the flower emerged as a tool to rebuild these former relationships. One such example is the return gift of cherry trees from Washington D.C. to Japan. In an effort to restore the original grove and beautiful landscape, America sent over Japan's original gift and cultural icon. Symbolizing the desire to move past hostility, this gift implied mutual respect and rebuilding. This recovery also shaped Japan's global identity, framing perceptions to be centered around it's peaceful and beautiful culture. Following their recovery, Japan continued to sponsor festivals and plantings across the world, spreading it's image of peace and reconciliation. As such, the cherry blossoms were the driving force behind Japan's global identity transformation and postwar healing, demonstrating it's power as a diplomatic tool. 

Poetry and Slogans

Cherry blossoms were also used as a militaristic symbol, often connected and included in poetry or slogans that surrounded wartime eras. An example of this would be the poem that pilots listen to before embarking on their fatal and final mission, "Today, in blossom / Tomorrow, scattered by the wind / Life is so like a delicate flower / How can one expect its fragrance to last forever?” This poem establishes the life of the cherry blossom as a very fleeting and drifting object, capturing the moments of beauty and importance. This symbolizes the very life that many Kamikaze pilots are stepping into, a life aiming for glory that ends short. Furthermore, this connection compares the bursting life that cherry blossoms have with the sacrificial and peaking life that pilots lead. Thus, it encourages kamikaze pilots to accept the fragility and shortness of their lives, motivating them and embracing them into completing their role. As such, many of these soldiers accepted this drastic end to their life because of the resulting remembrance and honor they would receive. 

Yasukuni Shrine 

A Shinto shrine designated to honor those who died in service of Japan. It was founded in 1869 by Emperor Meiji and is a memorial for the sacrifices made towards building the foundation of a peaceful Japan. The shrine carries approximately 2.5 million souls, ranging from civilians, soldiers, and personnel who have died in service. These souls include those that have died fighting for the emperor since 1868 such as the Boshin War, First Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, World War I, Second Sino-Japanese War, and World War II (Nakamura, Schattschneider). Critiques and controversy surrounds this shrine, specifically in East Asia, as it also enshrines the souls of fourteen Class A war criminals that were executed by the Allies in World War II. 

One half of the army Kamikaze pilots were drafted students. They came from the best universities and had been influenced by romanticism or Marxism, believing that they should sacrifice themselves for what they believed was a noble cause. With the goal of saving Japan from destruction, many of these students sacrificed themselves with the belief that they would be rebirthed as cherry blossoms in Yasukuni Shrine. This belief demonstrated the ideal soldier, one who would die honorably and at their peak, similar to the cherry blossom. As such, the Yasukuni Shrine played a major role in the motivation for many to sacrifice themselves and the Kamikaze to fulfill their role.