Operation Iceberg: The Battle Of Okinawa

The battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa were two of the most important American operations in the Pacific Theatre against the Empire of Japan during World War Two. The goal of the two operations was to secure strategically important islands close to Japan to use for bombing campaigns. The battles for Iwo Jima(February-March 1945) and Okinawa f(April-June 1945) killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians and helped to win the war for the United States.

” No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.” A quote from President Franklin Roosevelt December 8, 1941 speech to Congress, declaring war on Japan. By the summer of 1945, 3 years after the Declaration of War on Japan began, intensive bombing of Japanese cities had left the country and its economy in ruins. Americans captured Okinawa, a Japanese island from which the Allies used to launch invasions off the main Japanese home islands.

3) Japanese strategy was for each Soldier to kill 10 Americans before they themselves are killed (The Battle – Japan’s Iwo Jima Strategy, n.d.). On top of that, Iwo Jima would have to be reinforced significantly if it were going to be held for any length of time, and preparations were made to send sizable numbers of men and quantities of materiel to that island.

Okinawa was known as the “longest and largest battle” (157). This time, causing more casualties than previously. As mentioned previously, Okinawa was Japanese territory and they knew the terrain perfectly. This time, not only was there constant rain, but constant shelling. Constant shelling made it very difficult for Americans. It was very difficult for them to get those men who were wounded and needed help. Taking such risk, would sometimes cause the casualties and stretcher-bearers to get hit. As a result, they would have to leave behind the marines who died on Okinawa unlike Peleliu. “From my experience, of all the hardships and hazards the troops had suffer, prolonged shell fire was more apt to break a man psychologically than anything else” (265). The Americans had to be vigilant at all times. “Most nights on Peleliu, we had to keep a sharp lookout in front, rear, right and left. But that night on Okinawa, we had to scan even the dark sky for parachutes” (220). The Japanase wanted to ensure by any means necessary that there was bloodshed, even if they had to literally put their own life on the line. To ensure that, the Japanese had kamikaze and suicide

Okinawa, the site of a major military base10. Thus by July 1945, Japan had few ships and planes to

The Japanese forces opposing the U.S. were led by General Mitsuru Ushijima. While originally he commanded only 60,000 to 70,000 men, he had several thousands of men who were stationed in China previously, these were experienced and battle-hardened soldiers (Sanchez 11). Because the Imperial Army and Navy joint command headquarters in Tokyo saw that Okinawa’s defenses consisted of artillery, they sent no additional armored units other than an armored tank division, as an additional aid before the fighting began. Once the fighting started, the joint command sent several heavy weapons, artillery, and men, which were too few and too late. Many of the Japanese troops felt they had been abandoned by the joint command beforehand. The Japanese forces, however, had been dwindling as the war in the Pacific progressed, since the first Allied landing on the Island of Guadalcanal, in 1942. The Japanese were now looking to protect and preserve mainland Japan with what remained of their military.

A whole death of 2403 Americans plus 1,178 wounded men, along with the sinking of eighteen ships, including five battleships……...This was the repercussion of the Japanese attack on the American Naval fleet on the Pearl Harbor, at Hawaii. The tragedy at Pearl Harbor is also known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor, but the Japanese military leadership referred to the attack as the Hawaii Operation and Operation AI, and as Operation Z during its planning. The surprise attack creates a profound shock in American people and the pain and losses triggered the people to thrust into the world war II. But the events not only caused to the American invasion to the war but in instead it ignited the fire of patriotism in the minds of the civilians to work

Japan surrendered and conveyed a conclusion to World War 2. After the end of WWII, Japan's naval force and aviation based armed forces were destoryed. After a few assaults to Japanese urban communities, the nation and its economy was harmed. Before long, Americans caught Okinawa, an island, which offered Americans some assistance with creating intrusions of Japan's fundamental terrains.

The Navy helped fight battles that were happening in the Pacific Theater against Japan. One of the final battles of this second world war was Okinawa. This battle would take place close to Japan itself. The U.S. Navy helped to transport the marines to the island of Okinawa to fight this battle where they fought for eighty-two days (PBS). The battle of Okinawa was fought both on land, sea, and sky (HISTORY). The U.S. and allies would end up losing more than 14,000 people and would also suffer 65,000 casualties due to this battle (HISTORY). The U.S. Navy damaged 368 ships, lost thirty-four, as for aircrafts 763 of them were lost (HISTORY). Even though the United States had lost a lot of soldiers, ships, and aircrafts they won the battle. This made it so the that the U.S. was able to gain an area for an air base that could be used to help their intended plan to invade Japan

The battle of Okinawa was the deadliest battle fought in the Pacific during world war 2. There were 287,000 troops in the US tenth army and 130,000 in the Japanese thirty-second army. By the end of the fierce 82 days of all in warfare, the Allies ended up with Okinawa. Japan had lost more than 77,000 soldiers and the Allies lost more than 14,000. Japanese forces ordered mass air attacks by planes on a one way “suicide mission”, These missions are called Kamikaze attacks. These attacks were super effective and sunk 47 American ships, and damaged more than 300 others. More than 3,000 Japanese soldiers volunteered.

The battle of Okinawa began on April 1, 1945 and ended June . It took place over 82 days and fought on the grounds of Ryukyu, Islands of Okinawa.Okinawa was the second most deadliest battle fought in WW2. The battle was a stepping stone for an in invasion to get closer to the mainland, The battle involved the Japanese Army, minimal navy power and American and British navy support, along with Joint services of U.S Army, Marine Corps, and Navy.

was completely on the offensive in 1944. General Douglas MacArthur stood on the beach on Leyte in the Philippines and exclaimed, “People of the Philippines, I have returned.” Although confident, their plans against taking the Philippines were going to be interrupted by a Japanese fleet: the entire Japanese fleet. The years of fighting against the U.S. put a huge dent in the size and strength of their fleet. They had to throw everything they had into this last blockade so that they couldn’t advance more than they already were. The Battle of the Leyte Gulf ended in the obliteration of what was left of Japan’s fleet. With basically no one in their way, the U.S. started to move towards the mainland. They proceeded in taking the islands of Iwo Jima, located 760 miles from Japan, and Okinawa, located 350 miles from Japan. In both instances Japan tried to fight back but was thrown back defeat. Now it was time to invade the

One of the routes Leckie could have went about to describe if this battle was rational or not was to talk about the length of the war. Was eighty-three days of fighting rational? Most regular people would say that this is not rational. Not only did thousands of men lose their lives, but all the weapons or ships that were damaged or destroyed was very costly. Don’t forget the opportunity cost of the income that could have been earned in other lines of work. These are only a few of the costs that this battle brought on for not only the Americans but the Japanese as well. On the other hand, the major benefit from this battle was the fact that Okinawa would be an essential 'springboard to victory' for the Allies. From Okinawa, the Allies could attack the mainland by air or sea and ultimately win the war. These eighty-three days were necessary in order to strategically invade this island and eventually invade and control Japan.

The geostrategic location of Okinawa makes it the favored location to stage United States military bases to reassure Japanese security as well as provide a platform for United States force projection in Asia. Located ~454

He served in campaigns in Guam and the Philippines in 1944, and the United States was closing in on the Empire of Japan through their island hoping campaign. The United States had one more island to go, Okinawa. Okinawa was only 400 miles from mainland Japan and that would serve as an invasion base for mainland Japan, and a launching point for air assaults on Japan. The taking of Okinawa would be of huge strategic importance to the United States of America.