Battlefield - Destination Okinawa | Part 1 | Target Okinawa
The battle for Okinawa claimed more lives than any US campaign against Japan in the Pacific war. Situated between the Ryukyu group of islands south of Formosa and the Japanese home islands, it was chosen as the final springboard for the invasion of Japan itself that was for so long felt vital to bring the war to an end.
The Japanese, under General Ushijima, fought for every inch of ground and had constructed a formidable series of defensive lines against the US invasion force sent in a fleet of 1300 ships. The fighting on the island itself was some of the most savage of the war, while at sea at 700-plane Kamikaze raid sank 13 US destroyers. The Japanese could not resist the US invasion assault force forever, though and despite seeing their commander General Buckner killed in action, had won victory by June 1945.
US casualties were estimated to be 49,000. More than 100,000 Japanese were killed, nearly 30,000 sealed in caves and 10,000 taken prisoner. Within weeks, the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki had done their work, bringing the war to a sudden end.
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A large number of our troops and Marine were boys not long out of high school . True Hero's
Logistically ? Simply staggering ! With the numbers involved, the planning that went into this operation is mind blowing .
Sometimes I wonder if I could stomach assaulting a beach much less fighting further inland. These men were genuinely brave.
Me too. I think that maybe if I was drafted I might be able to fight, but I don’t think I’d ever volunteer.
They all wondered the same thing
It was different, we were attacked. There were plenty in volunteers
44:35 Correction. VT fuzes and Proximity fuze( proxy) are two completely different fuzes. The VT fuse does not reflect waves off of the target, it is strictly a timed fuze that the timer is set before the round is fired. Proxy fuzes send out a radio signal that reflects off of the target causing it to detonate close to the target. If you watch the combat footage closely sometimes you will see a sailor using a spanner wrench on the warhead of a shell. He is setting the timer on a VT fuze. Although the timer is set, the round is not armed until fired. Arming usually occurs about 250 feet out of the muzzle. The VT fuze was stock issue when WW2 broke out for the USA. Proxy fuze was developed during the war as it could take 2,500 to 20,000 rounds to bring down a plane using VT fuze. The proxy fuze done it with a lot less rounds. The proxy fuze could also be used to cause air burst above ground units by just loading and firing. Unlike the VT fuze where one had to math out flight time, angle, distance, detonation above the target then set the timer.
Simple error, the F6F was the designation of the Grumman Hellcat. The Vaught Corsair was the F4U.
FuzzyNarineVet, Did you also catch the error starting at the 44:35 time stamp? I just have to ask ( friendly banter), Are you a real Marine or a Hollywood Marine? Back in the 1980's I was gator navy ( LST 1189) and the Marines would rib each other over that. LOL
Thank you for this Fantastic Documentary, the Facts neatly laid out, and complete, with both sides covered!
Teal : I'm just another Ami. I've thought about the same thing . I have Some stones , but would have likely lost my mind if I had to confront the stuff these guys did . 😮🥺🙄
My Father in Law was a seaman in the middle of this. He could not talk about it. Ever.
Hi my father was with the Royal navy and served on one the escort carriers . He talked twice about the war itself both times when we were a lot drunk. Harrowing is a word I would use. I think he left a bit of his self there, there was always something different.
The Aussies took New Guinea. The yanks fell in a heap. In australia, McCarther was known as dug-out Doug.
It wasnt the 24th Corp, and 3rd Amphibious Corps. It was the 10th Army, of which the 3rd Amphibious Corps was a part. (A third.)
Wrong. 10th Army which consisted of III Amphibious Corps(1st, 2nd, & 6th Marine Divisions) and 24th Corps (7th, 27th, 77th, & 96th Army Divisions).
@@markstevens6902 👍
Amazing!
The Essex is not shown here, that is a Lexington class.
The Corsair was the F4-U. The F6-F was the Wildcat.
The F6F was the Hellcat.
Yes The F6F was the Hellcat. The F4Fwas the Wild cat.. The F7F was the Tigercat. The F8F was the Bearcat.
Iwo Jima was taken to provide an airfield for fighter protection for the B-29s bombing Japan.
"Japan was not defeated in a thousand years" - Very wrong, Japan was defeated decisively during the Imjin War, 1592 - 1598, by Korea with the assistance of Imperial China.
Thanks to all soldiers and to all leaders of this country's to depend's our right in god we trust🙏❤️🌟💪👍🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🇵🇭
Thanks to all soldiers and to all leaders of this country's to depend's our rights in god we trust we loves you all 🙏❤️🌟💪👍🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🇵🇭
A few more ads would be nice
Get KZhead Premium. Otherwise it's a free service and ads should be expected.
✍️💚🌹🇺🇲🌹💚 Marenz in WW2 🌍 save human by Smok Fights and Blud 👑👑👑
No mention of Bull Halsey?
He was still there, but had to keep out of the spotlight because of his blunder of chasing IJN Carriers and leaving the Leyte Landings UNPROTECTED! 😮
@@jorgecruzseda7551 ohhh 😮 Thx
Bull Halsey was a popular figure, but in reality wasn't that great of a commander. He was more dangerous to those that served under him than the enemy, by some accounts. He lost over 700 men and several ships by purposely sailing his fleet into 2 different typhoons.
The Bull was on the backseat for his Error of leaving the Leyte Landings VULNERABLE
rather glossing over a lot of detail. not much use.
ALAMO
Ryukyu..... not 'Rikuyu' or' Riuku'....fyi. I, myself, am a direct result of this Battle. And would not be here, as I am, if it never happened. My native Uchinaanchu/Ryukyuan (Okinawan) Grandmother was a child when this happened. And 14 years later, was brought to the US by my USMC grandfather to marry....not knowing English, and pregnant. Think about this- Prior to ww2 ... Okinawan-Americans did not exist... due to which, we are not accepted or respected by the Americans, Okinawans, nor the Japanese....especially if you are less than half-blood... like me.