It was the largest amphibious landing in the pacific theater of world war ii. Okinawa is located just 350 miles 563 km south of kyushu, and its capture was regarded as a vital precursor to a ground invasion of the japanese home islands. Translated from yaharas 1973 memoir, okinawa kessen, this book offers the japanese perspective on the pacific wars greatest land, air, and naval battle, the battle for okinawa, apriljuly 1945. Okinawa was the site of the last battle of wwii, with a casualty rate in the tens of thousands.
The battle of okinawa was the last major battle of world war ii, and one of the bloodiest. Jun 15, 1992 ive read several books about the battle of okinawa. Sep 17, 2016 george kerrs 1958 history of the okinawa islands is the single most meticulously researched work on the subject. Battle for okinawa by hiromichi yahara, paperback barnes. His work is a credit to journalism, history and the united states. In examining the disastrous collision of three disparate culturesamerican, japanese, and okinawanthis book provides an unforgettable. Moscow farewell, a book of the month club main selection. May 15, 2014 okinawans are among the most downtrodden people in the region. George feifer is the author of many successful books, including the battle of okinawa, originally published as tennozan. I was at okinawa during the battle, in the field artillery.
Battlebox the battle of okinawa, fought on the island of okinawa in the ryukyu islands south of the four big islands of japan was the largest amphibious assault during the pacific campaign of world war ii. The author traces a line from the mythological past to the establishing of the. Battle timeline april 1 10th army secures a japanese airstrip april 4 10th army makes first contact with japanese defenses in southern okinawa april 20 3rd marine corps takes northern okinawa may 24 marines take naha, the. The last battle army center of military history army. By the time american troops landed on okinawa, the war on the european front was nearing its end. Neither side expected it to be the last major battle of the war, which it was. The battle of okinawa april 1 1945 june 23 1945 wattpad. This is compilation of interviews with nine okinawan women from different generations, who tell us. It took place on okinawa island in the ryukyu islands south of the four big islands of japan. Okinawa was the largest island in the ryukyu islands and it was strategically advantageous being only 350 miles away from the japanese homeland of. Yahara was the senior staff officer of the japanese 32nd army defending okinawa and the only senior officer to survive the battle. Military historian leckie covers the fierce battle between american and japanese troops for the island of okinawa throughout the spring of 1945. The battle of okinawa, also known as operation iceberg, took place in apriljune 1945.
Penguin delivers you to the front lines of the pacific theater with the reallife stories behind the hbo miniseries former marine and pacific war veteran robert leckie tells the story of the invasion of okinawa, the closing battle of world war ii. Us marine from the 2nd battalion, 1st marines on wana ridge provides covering fire with his thompson submachine gun, may 18, 1945. The okinawan magazines are available at the bookstores below. The last battle of world war ii by robert leckie, with the old breed. The battle of okinawa offers a stunning account of the last major campaign of world war ii and the largest landseaair engagement in history. In premodern times, the small ryukyu kingdom, as it was known then, was a tributary state of china and japan simultaneously. Adapted from frederick julian becton interview in box 2 of world war ii interviews, archives, naval history and heritage command. This book offers a pioneering selection of essays on the battle of okinawa, forced emigration of okinawans to bolivia, okinawan identity, the rape incident and the rekindling of okinawan protest against the bases, the u. Cnn with the exception of the march across the philippine island of luzon, the battle of okinawa was the only major american land campaign in the pacific during world war ii. Defense conscription is a system whereby the military drafts local residents to supplement its forces in wartime. The last battle of world war ii written by robert leckie who was a veteran of guadalcanal and peleliu details with great clarity the struggle to take the last hostile japanese held island in wwii.
After a brief shakedown period, the ship participated in the. Learn more about the significance of the battle of okinawa in this article. The wall street journal a fascinating, highly intelligent glance behind the japanese lines. Civilians returning from hiding places in the hills following the american invasion of okinawa, april 17, 1945.
Opinion the battle of the okinawans the new york times. I am commander frederick julian becton, commanding officer of the uss laffey. Gugeler, and john stevens, published in 1948 and updated in 1984 and 1991. Japanese desperation and fanaticism reached a level of psychotic proportions. Critical acclaim for the battle for okinawa an indispensable account of the fighting and of okinawas role in the japanese defense of the home islands. They also have books of japanese literature translated in english, magazines on interior decoration and food, and books on the japanese culture such as tea ceremony and bonsai. On august 15, 1945, admiral matome ugaki was killed while part of a kamikaze raid on iheyajima island.
The ultimate battle tells the full story of the battle of okinawa as it has never been told before, using the same upclose narrative style and gruntseye view. The author describes the ancient, highly emotional code of the samurai, bushido the way of the warrior, which ruled the japanese military psyche. The battle involved six countries and more than 180,000 casualties. It was the largest sealandair battle in history, running from april through june, 1945. The maximum depth of the german advance was 812 kilometres 5. Battle of okinawa simple english wikipedia, the free. Feifers account of the three sides and their experiences far surpasses most books about war. A main selection of the military book club and cited by the washington post as one of the best wwii books of 1995, the battle for okinawa provides rare insight. It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the allies. Ive read several books about the battle of okinawa. Colonel yahara was the strategist and executor of the entire japanese defense during the bloody military encounter which lasted from april to july 1945, the last battle in the pacific theater during wwii. It became the last campaign in the pacific and changed the course of. The battle of okinawa was a great battle of world war ii.
The battle of okinawa is one of the most severe and brutal fights in the region near japan during world war ii. The battle of the coral sea, fought from 48 may 1942, was a major naval battle between the imperial japanese navy ijn and naval and air forces from the united states and australia, taking place in the pacific theatre of world war ii. The battle of okinawa is a stunning account of the last major campaign of world war ii and the largest landseaair engagement in history. Okinawans are among the most downtrodden people in the region.
But thanks to the magic of reading, and a surprising interest in military history that i discovered as an adult, i have read history books about the battle of okinawa. After clicking on an authors name, youll see links to their stories under the sub menu to the right. Yahara was the most senior officer to have survived the battle on the island, and he later authored a book titled the battle for okinawa. Have you ever heard of okinawa i said okinawa not chihuahua. Larger in both number of troops and tonnage than the normandy landing, the battle for okinawa, april 1june 21, 1945, was the last great campaign of. Oct 23, 2014 civilians returning from hiding places in the hills following the american invasion of okinawa, april 17, 1945. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Halfway around the world, however, the fighting is still going strong on a small island in the pacific. The battle of okinawa and the atomic bomb, and a new york times notable book. By mid1945, hitler is dead and the war has ended in europe. But theres more to it, in that the japanese had tunneled the entire island, mainly the succession o. The practice of dispatching trained historians to accompany troops into combat grew out of earlier experience, both in world war i and in the early part of world war ii, which demonstrated that the paper records produced by units. The bloodiest battle the battle of okinawa codenamed operation iceberg proved to be the deadliest battle on the pacific side of world war ii.
May 06, 2014 battle timeline april 1 10th army secures a japanese airstrip april 4 10th army makes first contact with japanese defenses in southern okinawa april 20 3rd marine corps takes northern okinawa may 24 marines take naha, the capital of okinawa 6. Operation iceberg lasted from 1 st april to 22 nd june 1945. Operation iceberg allies fought against japan allies consist of usa, uk, canada, australia, new zealand fought on ryukyu islands of okinawa, japan largest amphibious assault during pacific war 82day long battle april 1, 1945 june 22 overwhelming use of kamikaze. Battle of okinawa the battle of okinawa was proved the be the bloodiest battle of the pacific war. Read the battle of okinawa april 1 1945 june 23 1945 from the story ww2 stories completed by kadentinkham chicagocubs01 with 638 reads. Battle of okinawa the last major land battle of ww2 also known as operation iceberg was fought on the island of okinawa. In a nutshell, okinawa was japans last line before the home islands. The battle of okinawa april 1, 1945 the battle of okinawa began. Below, you can find a list of translations and criticism available in. Through it all, military cameramen risked their lives to film the conflict, from brutal land combat to fierce kamikaze attacks. Superbly researched and extraordinarily detailed, this masterpiece of military history is told at the level of the participants themselves, soldiers and civilians alike. Yahara was senior staff officer of the 32nd japanese army on okinawa.
The laffey was built in bath, maine and was commissioned in boston, massachusetts, at the navy yard on february 8th, 1944. Battle of okinawa april 1june 21, 1945, world war ii battle fought between u. The battle of okinawa saw heavy casualties on both sides and was a victory for the u. He argues that this mindset suppressed more rational. The battle of okinawa is a stunning account of the last major campaign of world war ii and the largest. Your coverage of the okinawa civillians, before during and after the battle, is most thorough and orovides the reader with a complete picture of their plight. The japanese death toll was over 100,000 and over 7,000 were taken as prisoners. Contributed by kelly just wanted to let you guys know about two books that might interest you if you are moving to living in okinawa. Marines in the victory on okinawa marines in world war ii commemorative series, marine corps historical centre, washington dc, 1996. World war ii history books about the battle of okinawa hachette. The capture of okinawa was seen as a precursor to an invasion of the japanese home islands. Critical acclaim for the battle for okinawa an indispensable account of the fighting and of okinawa s role in the japanese defense of the home islands.
The last battle is the work of combat historians of the 1st information and historical service, tenth army. Okinawa was the site of the last battle of the last great war of the 20th century, with a casualty rate in the tens of. Battle of okinawa naval history and heritage command. The battle is famous because it was fought scattered over several ryukyu islands of okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault of the war. A rare eyewitness account of the final battle of the pacific war, from the vantage point of the embattled japanese generals.
Online shopping from a great selection at books store. In premodern times, the small ryukyu kingdom, as it was known then. George kerrs 1958 history of the okinawa islands is the single most meticulously researched work on the subject. The battle was between the military forces of the empire of japan and the allies.
Battle of okinawa, april 1june 21, 1945, world war ii battle fought between u. The book is written with the styling of a sports reporter which makes for a quick read. See the footage they captured and experience this battle the way the soldiers saw it in color. Japan security treaty, economic development in okinawa, the environmental degradation of okinawa, and the clinton. Ww2 stories completed the battle of okinawa april 1. In some ways, the experience of the war seems to have been even more traumatic for young girls, who were enlisted as nurses to care for the wounded or even to deal with dead bodies in the most horrific circumstances. Larger in both number of troops and tonnage than the normandy landing, the battle for okinawa, april 1june 21, 1945, was the last great campaign of wwii.
The battle of kursk was the first time in the second world war that a german strategic offensive was halted before it could break through enemy defences and penetrate to its strategic depths. It was the second biggest amphibious battle from sea to land of world war ii, after the battle of normandy. They have a wide range of books such as language study books, magazines and childrens picture books. Regarding mainland japanese stores, the magazine will be available from may 2009 starting with vol. The battle of okinawa was the final battle in the effort to defeat the japanese combatants against the allied forces. The last battle of world war two, penguin books, new york. Nine voices from a garrison island by ruth ann keyso. I am now reading my third book by him and have another waiting in the wings.
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