Samurai were soldiers no different from those in [[Europe]], prior to the [[Tokugawa]] dynasty (16th Century). After the unification of Japan, they became a class of warrior-scholars, who were second in social standing only to the Emperor and [[daimyo|daimyos]]. They adopted a warrior code known as the [[Bushido Code]], which emphasized loyalty, devotion, and honor to the death. If the samurai failed in any of these, he could redeem himself through [[seppuku]], or ritual suicide.[http://www.bigbearacademy.com/bushido-code.html]. This became an inspiration to Japan's [[kamikaze]] pilots in [[World War 2]].[http://www.ccds.charlotte.nc.us/History/Japan/save/jonas/jonas.htm] | Samurai were soldiers no different from those in [[Europe]], prior to the [[Tokugawa]] dynasty (16th Century). After the unification of Japan, they became a class of warrior-scholars, who were second in social standing only to the Emperor and [[daimyo|daimyos]]. They adopted a warrior code known as the [[Bushido Code]], which emphasized loyalty, devotion, and honor to the death. If the samurai failed in any of these, he could redeem himself through [[seppuku]], or ritual suicide.[http://www.bigbearacademy.com/bushido-code.html]. This became an inspiration to Japan's [[kamikaze]] pilots in [[World War 2]].[http://www.ccds.charlotte.nc.us/History/Japan/save/jonas/jonas.htm] |