OKINAWA
Codenamed Operation Iceberg, and referred to as the "Typhoon of Steel", the island of Okinawa was the largest assault in the Pacific Theater. Intended to be a point for the U.S. to launch from to invade Japan itself, its bloody and gruesome fighting convinced U.S. military leaders to find an alternative method of ending the war, the atomic bomb.
Naval battles began on the 26th of March, 1945, and continued through the land invasion, which began on the 1st of April. Troops landed on the Western side of the island and encountered very light opposition. They swept through and swiftly captured the Northern end of the island in 20 days. However, they found substantially more resistance in the South. The troops moved down to the Shuri-Yonaburu line, where the Japanese positioned a huge amount of troops. An extremely bloody bout of fighting began, but the U.S., crippled by rain, finally broke through. Another amphibious assault was ordered on the Oroku Peninsula. As the peninsula was overrun, the leader of the Japanese forces, Rear Admiral Ota, admitted he didn't care for the people of Okinawa, and killed himself.
"Since the enemy attack began, our Army and Navy has been fighting defensive
battles and have not been able to tend to the people of the Prefecture.
Consequently, due to our negligence, these innocent people have lost
their homes and property to enemy assault. Every man has been conscribed
to partake in the defense, while women, children and elders are forced
into hiding in the small underground shelters which are not tactically
important or are exposed to shelling, air raids or the harsh elements of
nature. Moreover, girls have devoted themselves to running and cooking
for the soldiers and have gone as far as to volunteer in carrying
ammunition, or joining in attacking the enemy."
The battle continued on in much the same way until June 21st, 1945, when all the Japanese were pushed off the island and the flag was raised on the Southern end.
"Since the enemy attack began, our Army and Navy has been fighting defensive
battles and have not been able to tend to the people of the Prefecture.
Consequently, due to our negligence, these innocent people have lost
their homes and property to enemy assault. Every man has been conscribed
to partake in the defense, while women, children and elders are forced
into hiding in the small underground shelters which are not tactically
important or are exposed to shelling, air raids or the harsh elements of
nature. Moreover, girls have devoted themselves to running and cooking
for the soldiers and have gone as far as to volunteer in carrying
ammunition, or joining in attacking the enemy."
The battle continued on in much the same way until June 21st, 1945, when all the Japanese were pushed off the island and the flag was raised on the Southern end.