Dead for Good: Martyrdom and the Rise of the Suicide Bomber
by Hugh Barlow
Paradigm Publishers, 2007, 239 pages
Hugh Barlow, professor of criminal justice studies and author of five books,
presents in Dead for Good the history of martyrdom (a willingness to die
for a cause that is highly valued but threatened) from ancient history to
modern-day suicide bombers. The last half of the book covers predatory
martyrdom, which the author defines as including the indiscriminate killing
of civilians with little or no warning. Barlow evenhandedly describes why
martyrs feel the way that they do based on perceived atrocious acts committed
against their group by an enemy. This well-researched book is presented in clear
non-academic language that allows readers to understand the reasons why martyrs
throughout time have been willing to give up their lives in support of their
principles.
The martyr-warrior concept, which has appeared from time to time over the
centuries, is not unique to any particular religion, culture, or era. The
Japanese kamikaze pilots of the Pacific War are presented in one chapter as an
example of a group of martyr-warriors who voluntarily gave their lives to help
achieve a military objective. They saw their missions to die in attacks on ships
in the following way (pp. 123-4):
Most saw martyrdom as a way to maintain life, the life of the
emperor and of Japan, especially its traditions and spiritual values.…As one
surviving kamikaze pilot explained, "my own death had a significance, a
purpose, and a value. To my great astonishment, these reflections began to
relieve my mind after a while, and helped me to regain my tranquility."
Thus, when it was time to take off and fly to their deaths, the pilots
showed the "composure and tranquility which comes only to those who are
aware of their own significance and power."
The differences between Japanese suicide pilots and other martyr-warriors who
came before them are summarized in the following paragraph (pp. 126-7):
The emphasis on the practical benefits of martyrdom and martyrdom stories
was not new: As we saw in earlier chapters, it first emerged in antiquity
and was refined within Islam and alongside the rise of Sikh militancy. New,
however, were the organization, training, and policy aspects of martyrdom
associated with the Shimpu Tokkotai [Special Attack Corps], particularly as
the prospects of a final Japanese victory faded away. It is now clear that
World War II witnessed yet another transition in the idea and practice of
martyrdom: from occasional aggressive acts of willful self-sacrifice in a
fight for group survival to systematic, policy-driven, and repetitive acts
of self-sacrificial aggression on a mass scale. Under these conditions,
external mechanisms to create compliance and maximize results become more
salient.
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