HIST 410N Week 4 Discussion: World War II (Option 1: The Battle of Okinawa)

Week 4 Discussion: World War II Hello everyone! For this week's discussion, I chose option 1 the battle of Okinawa. Also known as operation Ice Berg, the battle of Okinawa was one of the major battles that also resulted to be the battle with the most casualties. According to the History Channel, the "Americans bore over 49,000 casualties including 12,520 killed" and the "Japanese losses were even greater—about 110,000 Japanese soldiers lost their lives. It’s estimated between 40,000 and 150,000 Okinawa citizens were also killed." The Battle started April 1, 1945, and lasted until through June 22, 1945. The American troops were parachuted in to avoid mass casualties; however, when landed they were not met with Japanese defenses as they had initially thought. The American Troops were able to gain on the island and were able to bring ammunition, tanks, and supplies without interference from Japanese forces. This was part of the Japanese plan, they were instructed by Lutient General Mitsuru Ushijima, to not fire when the American troops landed but to wait for them and when the time was right, they would launch a triangular arm of defense. The American troops continued to wonder and secure airfields until they finally met armed Japanese forces. The battle of Okinawa consisted of three major casualties and war points. The battleship Yamato, kamikaze warfare, and Hacksaw Ridge. Battleship Yamato was a Japanese battleship that was supposed to have a surprise attack on the American troops on the Shuri Line. Unfortunately, the submarines owned by the allies saw it and launched strikes that sank the ship. After having one of their major defenses destroyed the Japanese retreated to the south side of Okinawa to make their last effort against the American troops. The kamikaze warfare was a suicide plot in which Japanese pilots would plunge their planes into enemy ships. The ships would try their best to shoot down the oncoming planes but nothing would work and would ultimately lead to the mass destruction and deaths of ships and sailors. Lastly, Hacksaw Ridge was a cliff that was defended by the Japanese. The cliff had a series of dugouts and caves which they hope to defeat the American troops. Most of the fighting at this point was hand-to-hand combat nad was no less brutal. After the American troops won the Battle of Okinawa, the American troops were not to take prisoners they were just shot while captured. So instead of dying at the hands of Americans, they took their own lives. According to the history channel, "About 7,000 Japanese soldiers surrendered, but many chose death by suicide. Some jumped from high hills, others blew themselves up with grenades.