75 Years Ago Today: Okinawa, Japan

The US Army and Marines first land on territory considered part of Japan on the island of Okinawa. At the time it was considered to be the first of what was expected to be several major invasion operations of Japan still to come. As it was, it would be the last of the major US campaigns of WWII.

 

The war was just a few weeks from ending in Europe and but still months more in the Pacific.

 

This campaign would run for about 80 days with some 15,000 plus US deaths, around 100,000 Japanese soldiers killed, with maybe as many as 100,000 to 150,000 Japanese civilians killed. Many dying in mass communal suicides because of the fear of US soldiers.

 

With the large number of suicide land attacks and Kamikaze attacks at sea, the combat was extremely bloody and lead to the great fears of the costs of the expected final invasion of the main Japanese island scheduled for several months in the future.

 

The combat was also closely fought and lead to two seniors US generals becoming combat casualties. Lieutenant General Buckner is the highest-ranking US officer to be killed in combat ever. He was killed by direct artillery fire and Brigadier General Easley was killed by MG fire the next day. The famous war correspondent Ernie Pyle was also killed there.

 

It was the largest invasion in the Pacific war and the last major invasion of the war.

 

The war in the Pacific was still however months away from ending at this point.

 

I remember this event as we are likely at the begining of a huge wave of deaths that will be hitting us here in the US and other countries over the next 80 to 90 days. The current models predict US deaths may however be 10 times greater than were lost during this famous and bloody military campaign.

 

Just a sobering thought to consider.

 

Be well and be safe.

 

Done