Did the samurai fight for what they believed in?

Answer 1

In general, yes.

The Japanese samurai governed themselves by the code of bushido, sort of similar to the European knights' code of chivalry; a code of honor. A samurai could not disobey their daimyo (like the knights their lord), nor could they flee during battle, or attack someone when they were not prepared to fight (which also includes ambush and poison). This code was strictly adhered to; if transgressed, the samurai was shamed by his community, usually ordered by their daimyo to commit seppuku, or hari-kari (even if not ordered, the samurai would usually take it upon themselves.) (Warning: graphic) In seppuku (literally means stomach cutting), a samurai would commit suicide by disembowling themselves with their katana, either by a single circular slice, a single horizontal slice, or a horizontal and vertical slice. They then either slit their own throat, bleed out, or had a trusted friend or family member do this or behead them. Husbands and wives would often commit seppuku together.

To avoid seppuku, samurai sometimes deserted. Many of these deserted samurai became ninjas, assassins with no moral code.

"Did the samurai fight for what they believed in?" Almost all of them strictly adhered to the code of bushido, which they believed in very strongly, so for the most part, yes.