Fukuro: a special unit of kamikaze submariners, who were supposed to oppose the American landing

In 1944, the Imperial Navy of Japan began preparing a special unit for the defense of the coast in the event of an American landing. Counteract this should have been a squad of kamikaze submariners - fukurju, which translates as "crouching dragon."

According to the plans of the command, these divers had to navigate the bottom in waterproof suits, patrol the coastal zone and attack the enemy ships that appeared.

Armament fukurju consisted of a 5-meter pole, to which a 15-kilogram contact mine was attached. Noticing the enemy ship, the swimmer had to unfasten the cargo from himself, swim to the ship and hit the mine with a fuse on its hull. At the same time, the fukur was, of course, dying.

In anticipation of the enemy's assault, the divers moved at a depth of 5-10 m, lined up at a distance of 60 m from each other. Each fukurju had two cylinders with compressed oxygen with a total capacity of 7 liters. A breathing apparatus with a closed air circulation made it possible to move imperceptibly under water without giving out air bubbles.