Beyond the battle cry, “Banzai” holds a deeper meaning in Japanese. Explore the word’s origin, translating to “ten thousand years,” and how it evolved from a celebratory wish for long life to a powerful expression of enthusiasm or even defiance.<\/p>\n\n\n
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Meaning Of Banzai<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The word Banzai [\u4e07\u6b73], which is equivalent to \u2018Long live to the king\u2019 and so on means ten thousand (\u4e07) years of life (\u6b73). Today, you can hear it being used as an excited scream or cheer meaning, \u2018Long life hurray\u2019 or \u2018Viva.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps this has something to do with its origin when the kamikaze<\/a> pilots and soldiers used to use it as a battle cry before they died during the second world war. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, it means wishing someone a long life or ten thousand years of life.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The cheer remains closely associated with the atrocities and militarism of the Second World War where the kamikaze pilots used to shout banzai with their arms up in unison. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, this cheer is used in politics as many politicians shout banzai and pump their arms in the air just as the kamikaze pilots did. For anime fans, the cheer appears as a humorous oddity performed by the characters to entertain and encourage others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word Banzai has been always used as a way to greet the Japanese Emperor so many feel that it is disrespectful to use it when not addressing the Emperor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All countries usually have their version of a battle cry and the Banzai actually did not initially appear in Japan but can be used and created in any language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word\u2019s origin \u4e07\u6b73 has roots in Classical Chinese (Mandarin w\u00e0nsu\u00ec), Korean word mans\u00e9 (\ub9cc\uc138 \/ \u842c\u6b72), Vietnamese word v\u1ea1n tu\u1ebf, and Cantonese word ‘maan6 seoi3’ (\u842c\u6b73). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was initially used during the Meiji period<\/a>, roughly around 1890 when the Japanese were attacked during the war and shouted banzai to greet the emperor. Let us look a little deeper into the history-<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nOrigin Story of the Banzai Charge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Banzai charge was a suicidal last-ditch attack and a term used by the Allied forces that were mounted by the Japanese infantry during World War II. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was not the real name of the attack by was used by the Allied forces because the Japanese forces used to yell and cry-“Tenno Heika Banzai” (\u5929\u7687\u965b\u4e0b\u842c\u6b72, “Long live the Emperor, ten thousand ages!\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This tactic was used by the Japanese soldiers by assaulting the American soldiers that were unprepared for such types of attacks and were considered one of the least efficient strategies used in the Pacific War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is considered to be one method of Gyokusai or honorable suicide and was a last-ditch attack because it was always performed by the Japanese troops who were losing the battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, it was based on the principle of loyalty and honor such as dying honorably rather than surrendering. The greatest effect of the Banzai Charge was the decrease in morale in allied troops since they feared and dreaded this banzai attack which affected their performance in the battlefield. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even though the Japanese soldiers surrender but rarely in large numbers. The soldiers were trained to commit suicide like using grenades to kill oneself and other allied soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThis day in 1943, after 19 days of fighting, American forces recaptured Alaska's Attu Island from the Japanese Army, annihilating the remaining fighters.
Many Japanese commited suicide or died in a final banzai charge. Of the 2,500 Japanese defenders, only 28 survived. #WW2<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/WOqpITZcyR<\/a><\/p>— WWII Pictures (@WWIIpix) May 30, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe very first Banzai charge was performed during the Aleutian Islands Campaign on the Island of Attu with over 2300 Japanese infantrymen who sacrificed their lives for this attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The banzai charge has taken place at the end of many battles such as Peleliu<\/a>, Bougainville<\/a> and Saipan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n
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