Okinawa

geographical background

Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, also known as, is a subsidiary of the country since ancient times in China, Japan stolen in 1879, it changed its name to Okinawa. Okinawa is located in the middle of the Ryukyu Islands, the island into a long and narrow shape, 96 km long from north to south, 32 kilometers at its widest point, the narrowest three kilometers, with a total area of ​​1176 square kilometers, is the largest island in the Ryukyu Islands, west across the East China Sea with mainland China the sea, only 610 km from Kyushu, Japan, Western Pacific sea and air transport hub of great strategic importance.

Battle Details

1945 In the spring, the Pacific War has been approaching the Japanese mainland. March 26, between Japan and the Mariana Islands, Iwo Jima was captured US military, Okinawa became the cover of the last barrier to the south of the Japanese mainland. Therefore, the ability to hold Okinawa, the Japanese imperial life and death. Japanese stronghold has formulated a defense of Okinawa's "day" was the operational plan, and its main contents are: cattle commanded by Lieutenant Island Army 32 army troops to fight US troops landed on the island; with a full command of the Navy in the Ito 2nd fleet composed of sea-team, broke into the Okinawa waters, for the suicide attack on the US fleet; at the same time, Yu Yuan wrapped Admiral organization "kamikaze" attack team deployed special forces to destroy located in the US fleet in Okinawa abroad; once the US troops landing troops lost the fleet support, cow island's defense forces will fight back, will visit US troops rush into the sea.

command Ushijima Lt. 32 Army administered 62 and 24 divisions, 44 infantry mixed brigade group, and a naval base unit, a special compilation groups, two independent infantry battalions and other logistics units, a total of 10 million people, 27 light and medium tanks, all kinds of artillery 927, aircraft 250. Lessons learned early days of the Pacific War "in annihilating the beach", has Ren Shiguan Island School of cattle developed to get out of the road, put the tiger into operational policy of the mountain, let all the US troops landed troops landed, then lure them to Debu the navy and air force firepower and support hills battle. Battle place at the island between two major cities Shuri and Naha, where there are numerous caves, bunkers and gun emplacements. 2 all divisions stationed in the region. 44 mixed brigades Morijima the southern end. Only two brigades defend the northern end.

Admiral Seiichi Itō commanded the 2nd Fleet almost synonymous with the Japanese combined fleet, after the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the combined fleet wiped out, leaving only 2 under fleet of super battleship "Yamato" No. cruisers "Yahagi" sign and eight destroyers. Ito's flagship "Japan" was at that time the world's largest battleship, the standard displacement of 64,000 tons full load displacement of 72,800 tons, heavier than the renowned German "Bismarck" was more than 20,000 tons. Which is nearly half a meter thick armor broadside, referred to as "unsinkable Japan." 1941 service, much of the Japanese Navy's favor, served as the flagship of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, took part in the Battle of Midway

Yu Yuan, director of the Navy will be wrapped around the "Kamikaze" is a special attack mass suicide of desperate storm. Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Japanese army for the first time using this barbaric tactics. Japanese pilots the aircraft hanging bomb, once found US warships, carrying the man hit machine continues to make a tremendous explosion, but he also die and objectives. "Kamikaze" the story from the 13th century, Kublai Khan twice the rate of Kyushu to attack the ship, because the ship encountered strong typhoon crash. The Japanese would call this strong typhoon called "kamikaze." Japanese beg God bless the day to help get the commando named "Kamikaze."

After the liberation and the end of the battle of Iwo Jima in the Philippines, the United States Pacific Fleet Commander Nimitz immediately proceed to develop the capture of Okinawa war plan, codenamed "Iceberg action." For the implementation of the plan, the US military mobilized a total of 54.8 million people in the Navy and Army. As a ground attack mission is commanded by Lieutenant General Buckner US 10th Army, the 24th Army under the jurisdiction of the Army (troops into four divisions) and the Marine Corps 3rd Army (troops into three divisions), a total of seven divisions 18.3 people; as support and cover mission is to command of Admiral Spruance's 5th fleet US Pacific fleet (under the jurisdiction of seven task forces) and Fraser admiral commanding the British Pacific fleet (has jurisdiction four carriers, two battleships, five cruisers and 15 destroyers, strength corresponding to US 5 fleet task group 1), a total of 36 carriers, 22 battleships, other warships 320, auxiliary ship 1139, 2108 carrier aircraft.

Although the Japanese Navy was no longer a threat, but the Air Force as well as the ability backs against the wall, especially the Japanese "kamikaze" suicide aircraft make Americans very nerve-racking. In order to weaken the threat of Japanese aircraft, Nimitz command 58 task forces air strikes on Kyushu airports. In mid-March 1945, the 5th Fleet commander Spruance led a 58th Task Force (jurisdiction over 16 fast aircraft carriers, eight battleships, 18 cruisers and 56 destroyers) anchor off, into the north of Okinawa , attack position south of Kyushu.

Since March 18, 1945, 58 task forces three-day series of regional airports in Kyushu, southern Japan, local and parked in the Seto Inland Sea of ​​Japan residual fleet ships, conducted several large scale air strikes. The Japanese "kamikaze" aircraft were desperate counterattack, the US aircraft carrier "Franklin" was being hit, more than 800 crew were killed, "Enterprise" and "Yorktown" was also wounded. Nimitz also ordered the command of General LeMay B-29 bomber fleet bombing Kyushu aviation facilities and bases. In the air raid, although the US military lost 116 carrier aircraft, but destroyed 528 Japanese aircraft, destroyed facilities and transportation hubs Kyushu Japanese, the Japanese army did little to fight back in the next three weeks.

March 23, the 58th Task Force on Okinawa began to implement heavy bombing and shelling. March 24, the US Army's 77th Infantry Division captured 15 sea miles southwest of Okinawa Kerama Islands, used as a naval and air bases.

at 4:00 on April 1, the command of Admiral Turner amphibious fleet into the waters 7-3 nautical miles west of Okinawa, to begin the transfer operation by the transport ship into landing craft. Mitchell Vice Admiral commanding the 58th Task Force conducted screenings at sea between Okinawa and Kyushu, Admiral Fraser of the British Pacific Fleet command is carried out in the cover of the sea between Okinawa and Taiwan. 5:30, US warships began shelling the Japanese coastal fortifications. 7:45, carrier-based aircraft across the beach and near the Japanese fortifications intensive bombing. 8:10, the US Army and Marines under cover of aircraft, the gun, take the amphibious tanks and amphibious tracked vehicle to advance to the conveyor Okinawa waist West Bank. 8:30, landing in the vanguard of white sand beach. Abnormal smooth conduct of landing, almost did not encounter resistance, as well as a war correspondent wrote, "We like the first explorers of the island." The same day, the Army has 60,000 soldiers and Marines landed, the United States Army 7th infantry division, the 17th regiment and the 6th Marine division occupied the fourth group were less than 2 km away from the landing field of Kadena and Yomitan airport.

April 2, the US military has not yet met the Japanese organized resistance, some troops have landed across the island, proceed to the East Coast. Since then, the landing force two-pronged, 24 Army troops southward, Marine 3rd Army is advancing northward. To April 4, the two forces still have not met the Japanese main force, were only some minor resistance and a small airplane attacks.

April 5, southward advance of the US Army's 24th Army finally hit the Japanese first line of defense. Japanese hiding in bunkers and trenches criss-cross, with intensive gunfire and organized anti-EU, blocking the two divisions of the US military offensive.

at 16:06 on April, the Japanese 2nd Fleet commander Seiichi Itō Navy led will be a "Japanese" Battleship, "Yahagi" cruiser and eight destroyers at sea commandos from the Seto Inland Sea anchor sailing .. He ordered the combined fleet commander will give Ito large fleet of Toyota vice Wu Haijun: "You Okinawa waters after that launched fierce attacks on US troops landed fleet, to be run out of ammunition, then swimming ashore, the island joined the defense forces!" < / p>

However, Ito fleet sailed out just connect the Seto inland waterways Hefeng after the Pacific Ocean, it was the US submarine "line fin fish" found. After the US 5th Fleet commander Spruance receive a "line of finfish," the telegram in his flagship "New Mexico" he was immediately made to fight the deployment plan of the Okinawa sea 10 battleships and cruisers should strike many days fleet, but he was under the 58 task force commander Admiral Mitchell insisted for him to deal with Ito, saying that he was robbed given the credit. After

pulled out of the Bungo Channel, Ito fleet south along the east coast of Kyushu. 7 am, Ito ordered the fleet to change course to take the southwest, into the East China Sea, the United States tried to escape arrest machines; dusk and then off to the south, the beach at night broke into Okinawa, the US fleet launched a surprise attack. Mitchell Sea Fleet is located in the northwest of Okinawa, Ito fleet in the East China Sea around in a bay, just invest in his "bosom." 11 am, Mitchell gives his use of motorized right spot, command the first wave of planes were scrambled. Then, he gave Spruance sent a telegram: "I have to take off your attack or attack my decision to come forward.?!" Spruance in his call to the space granted, "You attack but! must be done thoroughly! "

at 12:10 on April 7, Mitchell's first wave of 200 aircraft through the clouds down, dropped a Pitougainao bombs and torpedoes. 12:45, Ito's flagship "Japan" No port preceding ate a torpedo, aft of the two bombs. Then, the second wave of US aircraft and the "Japanese" port number in three torpedoes. Third Wave attack US aircraft concentrate on the port side, "Japan" was damaged, then it 5 mine, hull left. To make righting hull, Captain Kosaku Ariga Colonel ordered water to starboard main engine and boiler rooms, "Japan" was therefore the loss of half of the power, speed dropped. When the fourth Baume flying machine, "Japan" number has been unable to carry out any maneuver to circumvent. US torpedo planes take this opportunity, the port "Japan" was once again torn a big hole. Bomber did not back down, they and shouts down, so that the "Japanese" was in more than 10 bombs. The fifth wave of 196 US aircraft to attack the main rudder "Japan" was the "Japanese" was blown completely large tilt, shells fall down from the gun bore, through the ammunition tank deck and detonated ammunition, more than 2,000 hair large-caliber armor-piercing artillery shells and couplings explosion, the huge "Japanese" was blown up down the middle. Flames soaring into the sky, the sky burned bright, even outside the 110 nautical miles of Kagoshima Japanese nationals, also saw the return of light "Empire Beloved" before dying of albedo. 14:15, called unsinkable "Japan" was finally buried at sea, 2nd Fleet commander Seiichi Itō, Kosaku Ariga captain and crew with the ship with more than 2,700 funeral soul of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the cruiser "Yahagi" sign and four destroyers were sunk also has only four destroyers survived. So far, the Japanese combined fleet was totally destroyed.

US aircraft carrier "class Cohere number" is the Japanese "kamikaze" aircraft hit the fire

At the same time, the Japanese "kamikaze" attack team also launched for the first time Special forces. April 6 to 7, about 700 Japanese aircraft took off from Kyushu, Okinawa attacked the US fleet in the sea. In the days of lightning air strikes, the US military three destroyers, a landing ship and three ammunition transport ship was sank, a minesweeper and a destroyer hit by 12. "Kamikaze" aircraft has crashed into the aircraft carrier "Hancock" sign and battleship "Maryland" sign. April 12, more than 400 aircraft and the Japanese "kamikaze" attack team together once again to the impact of the US fleet. The Japanese also the first use of 1200 kilograms per hour "fool" the bomb of 500 sea miles. As a result, a US destroyer, a landing craft were sunk, a battleship and three expulsion was wounded.

to enter the island's north division of the two US Marine 3rd Army, all the way to progress smoothly, the 18th Brigade occupied the only two Japanese troops defending the northern half, but the South Army 24 Army 7th division and 96th division first line of defense frustrated the Japanese attack, fighting 10 days and could not break through. April 19, Army 27 Division into battle. US 7th Division to the left, the 96th Division, the 27th Division on the right and launched a flood of impact to the Japanese positions, but the Japanese use caves, trenches, bunkers hard to resist, so that progress can only be a day the US military ruler, with meters to measure. Faced with this situation, the US Pacific Fleet Commander Nimitz personally supervise operations to Okinawa, he bluntly told the 10th Army commander Buckner: "If this front can not exceed 500 days, we will bring other troops after to break it. "Army 77th division, 1st Marine division and the 6th division also transferred to the southern battlefield.

May 10, the US military launched the offensive line. Attack, the US military has taken playing safe tactics, concentrating their forces firepower, a mountain, a ridge, a cave, a bunker or even a rock with the Japanese bloody fight. To May 22, the US Marine 1st Division finally captured the main front cover of the first in the mountains as mountains peripheral position. 28, the right-wing US 6th Marine Division occupied the Okinawa capital of Naha, forming a pincer attack on Shuri, cattle Xianshibumiao island, ordered the withdrawal of the first, in the first 15 kilometers in the south edge of a cliff the cave set up headquarters.

May 30, after a heavy artillery bombardment, US forces moved into the two embarked on the ancient capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom has become the first in the rubble of the victorious Buckner said excitedly: "I'm done, then the Japanese can not build another line of defense. "

June 1, the US military began military offensive, the battle developed to compete caves one by one, every day nearly a thousand Japanese were killed. US troops with grenades, explosives, flame throwers in each hole "keep hunting." June 13, US Marines 6th Division captured the small green peninsula, more than 3,000 Japanese naval garrison was wiped out, the real Commander Rear Admiral Ota and five staff suicides. June 18, the US 10th Army commander Lieutenant General Buckner in the observation of the battle, a Japanese shells hit the rocks around him, sharp rock fragments pierced into his chest, a few minutes later he stopped breathing. He was killed in the war in the Pacific highest level US military generals.

June 22, the Japanese organized resistance was crushed, the island is full of cattle in the ritual suicide, chief of staff long Yong commit suicide. US forces sweep into the search, the Japanese refused to those out of the hole of dynamite or flamethrowers killed and burned in the cave. July 2, Nimitz announced the "tip action" end. US military access to air and sea attack the Japanese mainland base.