Suicide weapon
Encyclopedia
A suicide weapon is a weapon
that is specially designed for a suicide attack
. It is typically based on explosives.
In a wider sense, a suicide weapon is any weapon used in a suicide attack, and any object used as such, for example an aircraft.
Examples:
It might also be argued that the doctrine of mutual assured destruction
has turned nuclear weapon
s into suicide weapons. The idea of a Doomsday weapon took this to its logical extreme.
Today, the most common suicide weapons are antipersonnel bombs carried by a single person. Such bombs are typically used to carry out terrorist
attacks (suicide bombings are less common, although not unknown, in conventional warfare). Suicide bombers
strap explosives (often covered with nails, screws, or other items intended to act as fragments
) to their bodies (see explosive belt
) or otherwise carry them into populated areas and detonate them. The Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka
invented and refined this method, which was adopted by (among others) Palestinian terrorist groups in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
.
The Pacific War
of World War II
bore witness to the Japanese Kamikaze
suicide attack pilots. Late in the war, as the tide turned against Japan, Kamikaze pilots were deployed to attempt to crash their aircraft into American
ships in the Pacific. The Japanese even developed specialized aircraft (the Ohka
) for the tactic. (Nazi Germany
also developed suicide planes (the Selbstopfer
), although their designs included a feature for the pilot to escape, and it is unlikely that they ever saw combat.) A successful Kamikaze attack would both kill the plane's pilot and sink the target ship. Related tactics included the Kaiten
suicide minisub, which a single Japanese pilot would steer into an American ship.
Kamikaze attacks were mimicked in the September 11, 2001 attacks
, in which Islamic terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center
and part of The Pentagon
by flying hijacked civilian aircraft into them.
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
that is specially designed for a suicide attack
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
. It is typically based on explosives.
In a wider sense, a suicide weapon is any weapon used in a suicide attack, and any object used as such, for example an aircraft.
Examples:
- Suicide bombs
- KamikazeKamikazeThe were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
air attacks by Japan in WWIIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... - KaitenKaitenThe Kaiten were manned torpedos and suicide craft, they were used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the final stages of World War II.-History:...
human-steered torpedo, used by Japan in WWIIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
It might also be argued that the doctrine of mutual assured destruction
Mutual assured destruction
Mutual Assured Destruction, or mutually assured destruction , is a doctrine of military strategy and national security policy in which a full-scale use of high-yield weapons of mass destruction by two opposing sides would effectively result in the complete, utter and irrevocable annihilation of...
has turned nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s into suicide weapons. The idea of a Doomsday weapon took this to its logical extreme.
Today, the most common suicide weapons are antipersonnel bombs carried by a single person. Such bombs are typically used to carry out terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
attacks (suicide bombings are less common, although not unknown, in conventional warfare). Suicide bombers
Suicide Bombers
Suicide Bombers is the name of a 2005 EP by Leæther Strip. For the Australian hardcore band see Suicide Bombers -Track listing:# Suicide Bombers# Suicide Bombers # The Shame Of A Nation # This Is Where I Wanna Be...
strap explosives (often covered with nails, screws, or other items intended to act as fragments
Fragmentation (weaponry)
Fragmentation is the process by which the casing of an artillery shell, bomb, grenade, etc. is shattered by the detonating high explosive filling. The correct technical terminology for these casing pieces is fragments , although shards or splinters can be used for non-preformed fragments...
) to their bodies (see explosive belt
Explosive belt
An explosive belt is an improvised explosive device, a belt or a vest packed with explosives and armed with a detonator, worn by suicide bombers...
) or otherwise carry them into populated areas and detonate them. The Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
invented and refined this method, which was adopted by (among others) Palestinian terrorist groups in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
.
The Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
bore witness to the Japanese Kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
suicide attack pilots. Late in the war, as the tide turned against Japan, Kamikaze pilots were deployed to attempt to crash their aircraft into American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ships in the Pacific. The Japanese even developed specialized aircraft (the Ohka
Ohka
The Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka was a purpose-built, rocket powered human-guided anti-shipping kamikaze attack plane employed by Japan towards the end of World War II...
) for the tactic. (Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
also developed suicide planes (the Selbstopfer
Selbstopfer
The Fieseler Fi 103R was a late-World War II German manned version of the V-1 flying bomb produced for missions which were to be carried out by the "Leonidas Squadron", Group V of the Luftwaffe's Kampfgeschwader 200.-Background:The Leonidas Squadron, part of KG 200, had been set up as a suicide...
), although their designs included a feature for the pilot to escape, and it is unlikely that they ever saw combat.) A successful Kamikaze attack would both kill the plane's pilot and sink the target ship. Related tactics included the Kaiten
Kaiten
The Kaiten were manned torpedos and suicide craft, they were used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the final stages of World War II.-History:...
suicide minisub, which a single Japanese pilot would steer into an American ship.
Kamikaze attacks were mimicked in the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, in which Islamic terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
and part of The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
by flying hijacked civilian aircraft into them.
See also
- Suicide attack tactics
- Japanese Special Attack UnitsJapanese Special Attack UnitsDuring World War II, Japanese Special Attack Units , also called shimbu-tai, were specialized units of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army normally used for suicide missions...