Nazi Germany during World War II apparently also has a unit called Selbstopfereinsatz suicide . Unit set up to stop suicide advance of the Soviet troops , the main task of destroying the access road . A total of 35 members of the unit daredevil pilot is dying as a manifestation of their loyalty .
Outside Japan with his kamikaze , not found in other countries tactic of suicide attacks by organized like a kamikaze plane . If any, it is generally an individual action of the pilots themselves . In World War II in Europe , when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa was, the various reports mentioned a number of Russian pilots to deliberately crash their planes to the Luftwaffe aircraft were attacked by a large force . However, these heroic action seems to be triggered by a sense of despair mingled hatred against Nazi aggressors , and not because of orders or instructions employer or agency official .
Similarly, when Nazi Germany was repelled and pushed on the eastern front , the German pilot reported the plane crashed often for Soviet bombers , so that both of them fell . Events such as this to be the case around mid- April 1945 , when Soviet troops managed to cross the Oder River and began entering German territory . If the reports are true , then it's ironic , because it is the opposite of what happens when Barbarossa mid 1941 !
But aside from reports of individual acts of the Russian pilots and Germany , was in the Air Force or Luftwaffe Germany was reported to have no unity organized suicide attacks , although not institutionalized to such a high level of Japanese kamikaze . After the Soviet ground forces urging German troops from the Oder River , they then attempted to enter German territory by crossing the river . They built a number of emergency bridges , both on the surface and the river below the water surface .
Leonidas Squadron
To destroy the Soviet bridge , then one Luftwaffe squadron known as the Leonidas Squadron ( Leader Sparta in 460 BC the Persian army successfully resisted the much larger gap at Thermopylae in Central Greece . Leonidas and 300 troops to fight until all fall including himself ) . Squadron based at this Juterborg apparently acted alone in trying to withstand the advance of the Red Army . Squadron Lieutenant Colonel Heiner Lange 's call of unity , especially as Selbstopfereinsatz , which roughly means sacrificing mission with kerelaaan dinsendiri , self - sacrifice mission .
They are joined to sign a statement that ends with the phrase , " I understand that very clearly , my mission inevitably ends in death " . Leonidas Squadron on 16 April 1945 held a " farewell dance " , which followed the pilots and invited a number of young women who served in the Luftwaffe members unity of the base signal . Also present Generalmajor Robert Fuchs , commander of the German forces in the region are reportedly " back tears " in the event of separation .
On April 17 morning , the various types of aircraft such as the Focke - Wulf remaining 190 , Messerschmitt 109 and Junkers 88 flown to demolish 32 bridges over the water and below the surface that is being built in the Soviet army engineers Oder River . Those who fly that morning nobody next day return to base planes flown again . One of them , a Focke Wulf piloted by Ernst Beichl disarati with 500 kg bomb . The goal is a pontoon bridge near Zellin .
Reconnaissance flight later reported that the bridge was destroyed . Similarly the railway bridge in Kustrin . However, reports that 17 bridges were destroyed in three days Selbstopfereinsatz attack , considered grossly exaggerated . Critics said 35 deaths pilots and aircraft lost in tactics as an attack was really unfortunate , because it is not comparable with limited success and the nature of the attack was only temporary . Yet day by day growing shortage Luftwaffe aircraft and pilots , which may not be replaced in the situation getting the verge of defeat .
Notwithstanding the general Fuchs still include the name of the pilot in birthday greetings to the leader , Adolf Hitler , which falls on April 20 . Commemorating Hitler's last birthday in the bunker , it was mentioned very appreciative " gift " , the spirit of sacrifice for the sake of the German Nazi pilots . But the Japanese kamikaze -style operation was immediately stopped , because the tank troops of Marshal Ivan Konev Soviet leader unexpectedly stormed toward Berlin from the southeast , so the Luftwaffe bases in Juterborg threatened crushed .
Before tactic Selbstopfereinsatz was launched in mid-April 1945, the idea of a suicide attack to Hitler himself never filed by female aviator Hanna Reitsch legendary German . In late February 1944 meeting at the Berghof , Hitler's retreat in the mountains of Bavaria , Reitsch expressed V - 1 rockets were developed to destroy London , is less accurate for the target . Though Hitler looked forward to his secret weapon , which he termed as the ultimate weapon to defeat the Allies .
The unmanned rocket designed capable loaded a ton of explosives , to be launched into London or other cities in the UK targets . V - 1 rocket that reached speeds over 750 km / h at flying height of 1.5 km , the distance range can be determined by setting the engine first. At the desired distance , the engine will die and rockets fell with explosives . With the explosive charge is so large , every rocket is expected to destroy an entire city block .
Hanna Reitsch proposed that rocket right on target , then it must be manned . Pilots can redirect the rocket to certain strategic objectives , so it is not the origin of the city fell on target . However, this would mean the pilot was killed , exploded with rocket . It is necessary for volunteers who are willing to die for the sake of the victory of Hitler and Nazi Germany . Against this proposal , Hitler initially skeptical . But Reitsch assured it can certainly be done . Finally, this proposal was approved by the trial through . Rocket filled with sand instead of explosives .
In the pilot flew back and landed rocket , two failed pilots . Reitsch and prove himself , and succeeded . " The problem is just the two pilots had no idea how to land a high-speed aircraft , " he said . Although Reitsch had proved themselves how to control the V - 1 , but the project of suicide attacks by V - 1 rocket failed and stopped . The reason there is no other German pilots who want to volunteer . So the V - 1 began to attack London since June 13, 1944 , or one week after D - Day , there was never the German Kamikaze pilots who were in them .