While the definitive account of the battle is still to be written, yahara carries a large part of our understanding on the japanese strategy and tactics for the battle. Yahara was one of the japanese imperial armys best strategists. Landing day for okinawa, the final land battle of the pacific war, was easter sunday, 1 april 1945. Military planners considered the capture of okinawa and its airfields to be a crucial and necessary precondition for the. It was the beginning of a merciless battle that was later. So it was an interesting to get the perspective of a high ranking japanese officer who was leading the japanese forces in the battle of okinawa in the battle for okinawa 1995 originally written in japanese in 1972 by colonel hiromichi yahara with an introduction and commentary by frank b. A good read on the battle is one from the japanese side, written by ushijimas operations officer, by the name of yahara.
The capture of okinawa was seen as a precursor to an invasion of the japanese home islands. The 82 day long battle lasted from late march through june 1945. The battle for okinawa hiromichi yahara, frank gibney. He argues that this mindset suppressed more rational. It was the longest and bloodiest battle in american history. Colonel yahara, the chief proponent of a purely defensive battle, had responded to the american landing on the hagushi beaches by pointing out.
He had the career officers classically cool, analytical approach to warfare. The third in command in the 32nd division of the japanese army, hiromich yaharas account of the battle that he lost as a chief architect of the japanese battle plan tells a lot about the war that wiped most in this lovely island of okinawa. The battle for okinawa ebook by colonel hiromichi yahara. It details almost every aspect of the pivotal battle with narration by voice actor kiyoshi kobayashi explaining what the. On april 1, 1945easter sundaythe navys fifth fleet and more than 180,000 u. Battle for okinawa by hiromichi yahara, paperback barnes. Read the battle for okinawa by colonel hiromichi yahara available from rakuten kobo. The battle of okinawa, also known as operation iceberg, was fought on the ryukyu islands of okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the pacific theater of world war ii as well as the last pitched battle of the entire war. Since the few remaining capital ships of the imperial japanese combined fleet had been sunk or otherwise put out of action at the battle of leyte gulf, the allies were effectively unopposed in terms of surface vessels. From the opening bombardment in april through to july, much of the island became an inferno of fire, explosive and steel, in which both sides took staggering casualties, and. The author describes the ancient, highly emotional code of the samurai, bushido the way of the warrior.
Yahara was the senior staff officer of the japanese 32nd army defending okinawa and the only senior officer to survive the battle. Battle of okinawa april 1june 21, 1945, world war ii battle fought between u. The battle for okinawa by colonel hiromichi yahara website. The battle for okinawa by hiromichi yahara in fb3, rtf, txt download ebook.
Fascinating remembrance of the battle of okinawa from the japanese command bunker during the battle. Yahara was senior staff officer of the 32nd japanese army on okinawa. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. The architect and executor of japanese operations at okinawa, colonel hiromichi yahara, proposed abandoning traditionally aggressive japanese military methods and instead fighting a battle of attrition. The author colonel hiromichi yahara is the strategic mind behind the battle of okinawa and his book is largely his account of that battle from the perspective of a senior staff officer for the leading generals of the okinawa s defense. A rare eyewitness account of the final battle of the pacific war, from the vantage point of the embattled japanese generals. These images are, to the best of my knowledge, in the public domain and are presented here for educational and research purposes. Yahara is actually the strategist behind much not all as readers will learn. Yahara was the most senior officer to survive the battle of okinawa.
Learn more about the significance of the battle of okinawa in this article. Yahara versus imperial headquarters the grand strategy unfolds challenge and response counteroffensive halted world view through the eye of a needle the headquarters cave the battle at maeda. Ushijima and cho committed suicide by seppuku in their command headquarters on hill 89 in the closing hours of the battle. The battle for okinawa by colonel hiromichi yahara. Yahara was a clearsighted and rational man, and so knew even before he set about planning the defence of okinawa that the japanese would lose the battle. The battle for okinawa the small island of okinawa was the scene of the final, bloody showdown between the japanese and american armies in the long and brutal war in the pacific. In this riveting book, yahara presents an illuminating portrait of. The army proper totaled 77,000, consisting of 39,000 japanese troops in infantry combat units and 38,000 in special troops. The landing force was the new tenth army under army lt. The battle for okinawa by hiromichi yahara pdf free. The friendliest online yard sale for garage sale lovers. Possible ex library copy, thatll have the markings and stickers associated from the library. It was yahara who proposed a war of attrition, unique in the history of japanese wwii island defenses and he was the only highranking officer to leave okinawa without committing suicide. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library.
Colonel yahara was the strategist and executor of the entire japanese defense during the bloody military encounter which lasted from april to july. The battle for okinawa is the account of the battle from colonel hiromichi yahara, the japanese staff officer tasked with the defense of the island. Critical acclaim for the battle for okinawa an indispensable account of the fighting and of okinawas role in the japan. The japanese army, beleaguered and knowing that okinawa was the americans last steppingstone to their homeland, dug in against the largest amphibious force of the pacific campaign. The battle lasted eightyone days, and by the time it ended, it was the bloodiest battle of the war at the pacific front. The battle for okinawa by hiromichi yahara hardcover. The charge the foe tactics, typical of the japanese army, were not his style. The battle of okinawa april 1, 1945 june 22, 1945 okinawa island lay within 350 miles from the japanese homeland and was a very important strategic point to take for a. The battle for okinawa by hiromichi yahara 9780471180807.
Yahara versus imperial headquarters the grand strategy unfolds challenge and response counteroffensive halted world view through the eye of a needle the headquarters cave the battle at maedanakamaawacha the bloody action at sugar loaf hill amerkudai the arikawa brigade withdraws to shuri choosing a laststand location the. Colonel hiromichi yahara was the senior staff officer in charge of planning the strategy for the defense of the island. He knew that, despite the regimes trumpeting of the indomitable will of the japanese soldier, the allies overwhelming superiority of men and material meant that there could only be one outcome. Accessories such as cd, codes, toys, may not be included.
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. 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 warfare resulted with one of the. He saw no combat only the results when he tried to escape the island to deliver. Battle of okinawa nations wiki fandom powered by wikia. The battle of okinawa was the last major battle of world war ii, and one of the bloodiest. Colonel yahara had asked ushijima for permission to commit suicide, but the general refused his request, saying. Spine creases, wear to binding and pages from reading. It is difficult to ascertain an accurate number of deaths at the battle of okinawa. Under the cover of a naval bombardment of more than 100,000 shells, the american military began landing on okinawa at 8. Frank gibney yahara was senior staff officer of the 32nd army, and the highest ranking japanese officer to leave okinawa alive.
The battle for okinawa by frank gibney and hiromichi. The battle for the island of okinawa was the bloodiest of the whole pacific war. Yahara was senior staff officer of the 32nd army, and the highest ranking japanese officer to leave okinawa alive plans for 32nd army. The author describes the ancient, highly emotional code of the samurai, bushido the way of the warrior, which ruled the japanese military psyche. Get it today with same day delivery, order pickup or drive up. He commanded two corps, xxiv corps, with five army divisions, and iii amphibious corps, with three marine divisions, all told some 182,000 troops. For the april 1945 invasion of okinawa, the allies assembled the most powerful naval force in history. The battle of okinawa was one of the largest and costliest military actions during world war ii 19391945 and lasted between april 1 and june 22, 1945.