Saburo Sakai

[Luftwaffle8]

To cap the Japanese "aces" myth:

We Americans are a merit-based society which stresses individuality and showing the initiative...with incentives, reward, and recognition for achievement. We put heroes on pedestals and publicize their individual achievements (number of aerial victories), and give them the title of "ace." Thus, a score keeping system was necessary.

Japan is a group-oriented society which stress conformity and abhors individuality. The needs of the group outweighed the needs of the individual. There had to be self-sacrifice for the good of the group.

If you want to understand Japanese group psychology under war conditions, just watch the movie LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA.

I was lucky to have interviewed many veteran Japanese pilots before they passed away. Our concept of "aces" was unknown to them. They talked about "great veteran pilots" but never about pilots who claimed X victories.
Scores were meaningless.

So if the veteran pilots say that "aces" did not exist, then believe it.