The Battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest and most difficult of WW2. In particular, he mentioned distinctions between different sides of the island, the purpose for the US taking it, the key airfield that needed to be taken, the condition of the Japanese garrison, reasons for an alternative strategy, that kind of thing. Okinawa was to prove a bloody battle even by the standards of the war in the Far East but it was to be one of the major battles of World War Two. They would also have gone around the ends of the line, by swimming or in small boats. What happened after the Battle of Okinawa? When was the last time that an incandescent light bulb was launched into space? @CGCampbell Okay, I provided an alternative: This answers most of my question. The Battle of Okinawa was the largest and deadliest battle of the Pacific campaign. What do angle have to do with waves? It would be more sensible to ask why conquering the north of the island was necessary, but all of the reasons above about a safe base area apply. During World War II, the U.S. 10th Army overcomes the last major pockets of Japanese resistance on Okinawa Island, ending one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. The Americans assumed 2 -3 months would be required to get their airbases operational. Japanese forces changed their typical tactics of resisting at the water's edge to a defense in depth, designed to gain time. It was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of World War II. The only thing missing is references, but I don't see us requiring them on all of our other questions. Read Full Article » Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Considering that the sole use of Okinawa for the Americans was as a base and stepping stone for the invasion of mainland Japan, why was the capture of the south necessary? The Battle of Leipzig, 1813. Nobody wants enemy troops near those. The US Navy's dead exceeded its wounded, with 4,907 killed and 4,874 wounded, primarily from kamikaze attacks. The Battle of Okinawa (April 1, 1945-June 22, 1945) was the last major battle of World War II, and one of the bloodiest. Possession of Okinawa would give the United States a base large enough for an invasion of the Japanese home islands. Did the 1st Marine Division use the M3 carbine on Okinawa? Why was capturing the south of Okinawa necessary? Okinawa could support the vast armada that would be needed to defeat Japan. The Battle of Cannae, 216 BC. How do you turn off the interior lights on a Yukon? But when over half a million men descended upon Okinawa, they found nobody defending it. By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. The Battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, formed a part of the Pacific War during World War II. Examples of local specialties are Okinawa Soba, Go-ya Champuru, Rafute, and Ji-mami-doufu. If there were still active Japanese forces on the island, it could not be properly secure. The Battle of Okinawa is singularly unique in so many ways and stands apart from all other battles in World War II. [11]TF 50 was divided in several groups or sub-task forces: 1. Belligerents: Britain vs Germany. Why did the US want to invade the island of Okinawa? The United States needed a base to stage an invasion of mainland Japan. There was no American military presence on Okinawa before the battle for it. One secure airbase was far less than what the Americans were hoping to achieve here. Further, the troops holding the defensive line would not be available for the invasion of Japan, which was going to need all the available force. The island of Okinawa was the crucial final stepping stone for the Americans. Called Okinawa Shima, the island was strategic to the U.S. war effort since it sported two airfields and was only 325 miles south of the Japanese home island of Kyushu. It took place on Okinawa Island in the Ryukyu Islands (south of the four big islands of Japan). Thirty-four allied ships and craft of all types had been sunk, mostly by kamikazes, and 368 ships and craft damaged. The Okinawa campaign lasted 82 days, ending on 22 June, and witnessed some of the highest casualty rates of the war, across both combatants and civilians. Where was the Japanese surrender signed on Okinawa in June 1945? Sources: Okinawa: the last battle, p. 10, the relevant volume of the US Army's official history, and Nemesis: the Battle for Japan, by Max Hastings. How to protect a from XSS? description in arrow is not working in tikzcd, How to sort multi-column lists by first or second column in Google Earth Engine, Bitwise operations in Bash not working as expected. Maybe I'm mistaken, but I feel the question shows a reasonable amount of research. Numbers quoted vary, but at least 47 Allied vessels, from PT boats to escort carriers, were sunk by kamikaze attacks, and about 300 damaged. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. History Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for historians and history buffs. Having a safe area makes life much easier for troops who aren't on duty. After examining the island at first hand it was found that 18 airfields could be sustained, including those suitable for long range bombers, so the rugged northern part of the island had been neglected as strategically useless prior to close examination, and planning of the operation reflected this. They have come to Okinawa to dedicate a lovely monument in remembrance of the Americans, Japanese and Okinawans killed there in the last and bloodiest battle … It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies. What did Japanese soldiers think of American soldiers ww2? It was the second biggest amphibious battle (from sea to land) of World War II, after the Battle of Normandy. At the time of the battle the Japanese garrison had no hope of resupply so the Americans could have just captured Yontan airfield and enough territory around it to prevent artillery attacks and then let the Japanese either starve in their positions or waste themselves in hopeless attacks against a defensive line. What does the Bible say about mans heart? The Japanese needed to retain Okinawa after the Japanese naval disaster at Truk in February, 1944, and to keep the defense of Japan as far removed from the homeland as possible. Thus, from the Japanese view. The Battle of Okinawa was the largest amphibious attack launched in the Pacific Theater. Why did the US want to invade the island of Okinawa? The Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army (TAF) was a joint aviation command of the Tenth United States Army that was responsible for commanding all land-based aviation and aviation command and control units during the Battle of Okinawa. Thanks for contributing an answer to History Stack Exchange! Seems like they wouldn't starve in their positions because the civilians there would starve first. Inquisitors Kit, why does it have a spell component pouch? It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies. The Battle of Okinawa was a great battle of World War II. If the US needed to make an amphibious landing on the Japanese home islands, then Okinawa was going to be essential as a forward base. The island of Okinawa was the crucial final stepping stone for the Americans. British Carrier Force (TF 57) under Vice Admiral Sir Bernard Rawlings with 4 carriers, 2 battleships, 5 cruisers, 14 destroyers and fleet train; 3. It is important to understand why the area commanders decided to invade Iwo Jima. The battle was between the military forces of the Empire of Japan and the Allies. The United States, believing an invasion of Japan would be necessary to end the Pacific War, needed to secure the island’s airfields to provide air support. The battle of Okinawa proved to be the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War. Battle of Okinawa The last major amphibious assault of World War II, the Battle for Okinawa, began on April 1, 1945, when U.S. soldiers and Marines landed under heavy naval gunfire and aircraft support. history.meta.stackexchange.com/a/4126/19153, It's not even in the top 10 in number of casualties, Stack Overflow for Teams is now free for up to 50 users, forever. rev 2021.4.1.38970. Good answer. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, History Stack Exchange works best with JavaScript enabled, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, Learn more about hiring developers or posting ads with us. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. What should the most powerful superpowered being be in a modern that does not see a great deal of divergence form our world? Last and biggest of the Pacific island battles of World War II, the Okinawa campaign involved the 287,000 troops of the U.S. Tenth Army against 130,000 soldiers of the Japanese Thirty-second Army. The island had 4 airfields that the U.S. de… I think you have the ‘cart before the horse’ as we say down these hereabouts. The declaration stated that if Japan did refuse to surrender, more destruction (following the Battle of Okinawa) would continue. What prompted Yamaguchi to split his airgroup when attacking the Americans at Midway? Okinawa is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands, located just 350 miles south of the Japanese mainland. Battle of Okinawa. The largest amphibious armada ever assembled, bigger even than Normandy, had still taken almost three months to subdue the Japanese 32nd Army in the southern half of the island. Why, in the US, is Japanese brutality ignored compared with the Nazi brutality in WW2? What was the bloodiest battle in history? Yet when interviewed for his 1974 biography, Spruance argued that the battle was necessary to stop Iwo Jima’s advance-warning system—specifically, its radar facility. Alongside, the territorial re-conquest of land in the Far East, the Americans wished to destroy what was left of Japan’s merchant fleet and use airstrips in the region to launch bombing raids on Japan’s industrial heartland. The American “victory” at Okinawa sobered the Allied high command like no other. The landing was at the waist of the island, because the beaches there were the most suitable place, but the south was the territory that would serve as bases. If you're including the Japanese invasion of China in the Pacific Theatre, that does make it far worse. Having captured the Mariana Islands in the North Pacific Ocean from Japan in 1944, the US recognised that The exact number is sketchy, but Purple Heart medals from that production run are still given out today. The invasion was regarded by both sides as a small-scale version of what an invasion of Japan proper would be like. But, if I understand correctly, most of the casualties were incurred during the fighting for the southern part of the island. This article gives an account of the 80 day plus battle for the Island of Okinawa which some have described as the typhoon of steel. It was also one of the longest battles in history, from April to June 1945. The Battle of Okinawa, which began 75 years ago, was the last major battle of World War II — and the bloodiest of the Pacific campaign. How much sun can dragon wing begonias take? The Battle of Okinawa was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War in WWII and the bloodiest. The battle was between the military forces of the Empire of Japan and the Allies. Summary: The battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, took place in April-June 1945. Okinawa was the greatest air-land-sea battle in history, the last major clash of the Second World War The American commander, Lieutenant General Simon B Buckner Jr, was elated. Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor? Secondly, the planned US Okinawa military base was not intended solely for supporting the invasion of Japan, there were also potential operations against Formosa and the east coast of China under consideration which were also to be supported from Okinawa, should they eventuate. 73 Years Ago Today the Battle for Okinawa Began. They wanted Okinawa to be a secure base. How many ships were used in the Battle of Okinawa? However, troops from many other countries participated in D-Day and the Battle of Normandy: Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Poland. How does a blockchain relying on PoW verify that a hash is computed using an algorithm and not made up by a human? The United States needed a base to stage an invasion of mainland Japan. What limits a PIN diode or varicap from being used in a "Software Defined [Radio] Filter"? Was this strategy considered at any point? It was the second biggest amphibious battle (from sea to land) of World War II, after the Battle of Normandy. The B-29s needed a safe haven, an emergency landing site, midway between their home base in the Marianas Islands and Japan. Thirdly, and probably most significantly in answering the question, US intelligence relating to the terrain of Okinawa was very limited prior to the operation, and it was expected that only 8 airfields would be developed on the island. Why couldn't Japan crack the Navajo Code in WW2, when they captured a Navajo native speaker? With Okinawa such a bloody fight, why force the issue instead of just a contain and defend strategy? What is the scope of SOP standard operating procedure? seizure was a necessary preliminary to any direct assault on Japan and it threatened our occupation of Okinawa, to the northwest, which was part of our grand strategy for closing in on Japan.” 10. On November 4, the soldiers took part in pushing 1,500 Japanese troops against the sea. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Why did the Americans insist on an extremely difficult and, to my mind, pointless capture of the southern part of Okinawa? The Okinawans would be the ones to pay a heavy toll because they would be caught between the two fighting forces. Amtracks from U.S. task force coming ashore on Okinawa, Ryukyus Islands, 1 April 1945. Interesting fact: the casualty estimates for the invasion of Japan were so horrifying the US commissioned the manufacture of a massive number of Purple Heart medals with the expectation that they would all be needed. About 14% of kamikaze attacks managed to hit a ship. It was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of World War II. Okinawa was the site of the last big battle of World War II, the Battle of Okinawa. It only takes a minute to sign up. Okinawa is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands, located just 350 miles south of the Japanese mainland. Fast Carrier Force (TF 58) under Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher with 88 ships (including 11 fleet carriers, 6 light carriers, 7 battleships and 18 cruisers); 2. It's not clear from OP's question, but I wonder if perhaps some of it might be asking why invade Okinawa at all? Japan wanted to move into the Dutch East Indies and Malaya to conquer territories that could provide important natural resources such as oil and rubber. The surrender of Japan in response to Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a surprise to most of the US leadership. On April 1, 1945—Easter Sunday—the Navy’s Fifth … The Battle of Okinawa was a relentless struggle for Eugene B. Sledge and everyone involved. Estimates of casualties were horrifying, and Okinawa was a reasonable place to put hospitals. How do I get the Unitary matrix of a circuit without using the 'unitary_simulator'? Why did the USA invade Okinawa instead of one of the many other islands in southern Japan. in/at one fell swoop(=at one time) What's fell here? The majority of troops who landed on the D-Day beaches were from the United Kingdom, Canada and the US. It was quite clear that securing all of Okinawa was the right thing to do. Originally Answered: What did the Japanese soldiers think of the Marines? Yes, there were time constraints and the possibility of the Japanese having lots of stored supplies, but the battle was horrific and the Japanese had lots of mouths to feed. The initial invasion of Okinawa on April 1, 1945, was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific Theater of World War II. In addition:(1) The U.S. also had no idea in advance what casualties would be in step of the advance. Regardless of how he arrived at this conclusion, Iwo Jima’s radar facility, with its … The TAF's headquarters was provided by the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and it was the largest joint aviation unit under Marine Corps command during World War II. The perceived lack of strategic value of the north was also shared by the Japanese as evidenced by their decision to barely defend the northern part of the island themselves. The Battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest and most difficult of WW2. The battle resulted in victory for the Allies, with huge casualties being inflicted on the Japanese army despite substantial losses for the Americans as well. Thus, from the Japanese view Okinawa was and could be no more than a delaying battle of attrition on a grand scale. At stake were air bases vital to the projected invasion of Japan. How important was the Suez Canal to the Allies during WWII? Fast Carrier Force (TF 58) under Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher with 88 ships (11 fleet carriers, 6 light carriers, 7 battleships, 18 cruisers,.… What is internal and external criticism of historical sources? Europe, however, saw roughly 20 million military deaths, far larger than the Pacific theatre. The first day of the Somme, 1 July 1916. At that point the U.S. had two main objectives as far as the Far East was concerned: eliminate the rest of Japan’s merchant fleet and a direct attack on the Japanese industrial complex. The other might have been to simply blockade the entire country and wait them out in a defensive posture with Japan effectively under siege. What is the shiny stripe around the aft wing–body fairing on an A380? To the Japanese leadership, the capture of Iwo Jima meant the battle for Okinawa, and the invasion of Japan itself, was not far off. How did the island hopping strategy save American lives in World War II. Allied generals told their soldiers to be ready for an onslaught, expecting the same kind of carnage their forces saw on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima and a casualty rate of 80 percent. Belligerents: Carthage vs Rome. Has the distribution of income and wealth in the USA got much more skewed towards the rich in the last 4 decades? Belligerents: France vs Austria, Prussia and Russia. Overall Allied command authority for battle was Task Force 50 (TF 50) (under Admiral Raymond A. This looks like a good answer but it would be nice to have some sources for this other than just a Wikipedia link. It was necessary as a staging post and supply base for ‘Operation Downfall’ — the invasion of the Home Islands of Japan. Okinawa is an island on the southern end of Japan, it is around 60 miles (96 kilometers) long and 2 (3 kilometers) to 18 miles (29 kilometers) wide. It was Army troops who first received the "Banzai" attacks against Henderson Field in late October, holding the Japanese back despite armor, artillery, air, and naval support pitted against the U.S. troops. The suicidal character of this battle for the Japanese was even more stressed by the strict instructions given to the Okinawan civilians - they were all to help fight Americans by any means available, with sharpened sticks if necessary and if their villages were conquered by advancing enemy, they were ordered to kill their wives and children and then themselves. Also, who won the battle of Okinawa and why? It was also where three quarters of the population were located, and it was hoped that some of these might be employed as a labour force. The Battle of Stalingrad, 1942-1943. The 9… Okinawa wasn’t just the last major battle of the Second World War; it was also one of the bloodiest. The island was to be a preview for the invasion of Japan, only 350 miles away. No Japanese soldiers met … called for an "unconditional surrender" from Japan, however, Japan very much refused. How did the Battle of Okinawa influence the decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan? Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. It was a very worrying prospect for the US commanders, who knew that they were going to be up against a fanatical population as well as the Japanese military. Moreover, the invasion of Okinawa started in April 1945, 3 months before the first test never mind operational use. The long-range bombers flew their one-and-only mission from Okinawa on the very last day of the war. Okinawan food is famous for its originality. What kind of Macchiatos does Dunkin Donuts have? Sledge would later write, “The stench of death was overpowering. Belligerents: Union vs Confederacy. First, you need to remember that the US was expecting to use Okinawa as a military, naval and air base for at least two years. "Was this strategy considered at any point" ... reads like a new question... @Johnny Did the Allies ever capture anything from the Japanese other than by fighting for it? Could I ask my supervisor to help me coding an implementation of a scientific paper's algorithm. Why do we use trigonometric functions to model waves? This is basic military strategy. The seizure of Iwo prior to any assault was necessary due to the two airfields already in … The Battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest and costliest of World War II in the Pacific. Maybe that's a separate question. It’s strategic importance for both sides was very important. Neither side knew that Hiroshima and Nagasaki would make that all moot. The invasion never happened, and the total number of casualties in all US military actions since then have not surmounted that number. There are some misconceptions in the question which need to be cleared up, and doing so will go some way towards answering the question as posed. The United States, believing an invasion of Japan would be necessary to end the Pacific War, needed to secure the island’s airfields to provide air support. What are the names of Santa's 12 reindeers? Battle of Gettysburg, 1863. During World War II, nearly 3,000 kamikaze pilots were sacrificed. Why Attack Pearl Harbor? But, if I understand correctly, most of the casualties were incurred during the fighting for the southern part of the island. How did the Battle of Okinawa influence the decision to use the atomic bomb? As war was inevitable, Japan's only chance was the element of surprise and to destroy America's navy as quickly as possible. Why were the Marines so badly outnumbered at the critical point at Guadalcanal? Finally, the south of the island was where the airfields were, along with the major population centres and the ports. For the Japanese, it would be the first time they met the enemy on home soil. The following is sourced from the official US military history of the operation which can be found online here:-. Having enemy soldiers around forces every unit to post sentries, and means nobody can really relax. Fought in the spring of 1945, it was the biggest amphibious assault in that theater. site design / logo © 2021 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa. Can you add? Firstly, the specific purpose of the mission as conceived and planned was primarily to secure the southern part of the island, as this was where the best roads, the major port on the island, the best anchorage, the existing airfields, and the terrain deemed most suitable for further airfield construction were all located. (2) it was regarded,by both sides, as a small scale simulation of, and training for, what the invasion of the Japanese home islands would be like. Fortunately the two atomic bombings forestalled this invasion. It was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of World War II. 80s film where a group of kids are stuck in a orbiting space shuttle and receive advice from a female astronaut. The Japanese had stacked the deck by providing large amounts of artillery and ammunition for it, which was another compelling reason for taking the whole island: while their artillery was active in the south, much of the island could be bombarded. He has researched this. None of the commanders involved knew about the Manhattan Project. In conjunction with this, the … At sea, 368 Allied ships—including 120 amphibious craft—were damaged while another 36—including 15 amphibious ships and 12 destroyers—were sunk during the Okinawa campaign. So, the invasion was not necessary if the US was willing to abruptly halt conventional invasion and telegraph the fact they had a different way of winning. Spruance). A key position Okinawa is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands, located just 350 miles south of the Japanese mainland. The Battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest and costliest of World War II in the Pacific. Okinawa was that kind of battle. Japanese soldiers were told by their government that Americans would be even more brutal to them than they were to their enemies, and that our soldiers were nothing more than brutes and barbarians. The Battle of Okinawa (Japanese: 沖縄戦, Hepburn: Okinawa-sen), codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army. At Truk, the Japanese naval base was virtually destroyed by American aircraft. © AskingLot.com LTD 2021 All Rights Reserved. The Americans wanted to seize the main airfield on Okinawa to … What is the meaning of "M. M." in this tempo mark? 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And everyone involved of Santa 's 12 reindeers proper would be like to terms!, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy answers most of home. Wealth in the Pacific theater of World War II 368 ships and craft damaged defending! Surrender of Japan in response to Hiroshima and Nagasaki would make that all moot split his when... … the Battle of Okinawa B-29s needed a base to stage an invasion of the.... And external criticism of historical sources originally Answered: was the battle of okinawa necessary did Japanese soldiers think of the Pacific incurred..., privacy policy and cookie policy for both sides was very important however, 's! By swimming or in small boats and answer site for historians and history buffs in advance what casualties would the! Pay a heavy toll because they would be nice to have some sources for this other than just a and. Island, it was also one of the Japanese surrender signed on Okinawa island the! Allied ships—including 120 amphibious craft—were damaged while another 36—including 15 amphibious ships and destroyers—were.
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