Battle Of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa Island, Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War, Imperial Japanese Army. The initial invasion of Okinawa on 1 April 1945 was the largest Amphibious warfare, amphibious assault in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The Kerama Islands surrounding Okinawa were preemptively captured on 26 March 1945 by the United States Army, U.S. Army 77th Sustainment Brigade, 77th Infantry Division. The 82-day battle on Okinawa lasted from 1 April 1945 until 22 June 1945. After a long campaign of Leapfrogging (strategy), island hopping, the Allies of World War II, Allies were planning to use Kadena Air Base on the island as a staging point for Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of the Japanese archipelago, Japanese home islands, away. The United States created the Tenth United States Army, Tenth Army ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Okinawa Prefecture
is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. It consists of three main island groups—the Okinawa Islands, the Sakishima Islands, and the Daitō Islands—spread across a maritime zone approximately 1,000 kilometers east to west and 400 kilometers north to south. Despite a modest land area of 2,281 km² (880 sq mi), Okinawa’s territorial extent over surrounding seas makes its total area nearly half the combined size of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Of its 160 Island, islands, 49 are inhabited. The largest and most populous island is Okinawa Island, which hosts the capital city, Naha, as well as major urban centers such as Okinawa (city), Okinawa, Uruma, and Urasoe, Okinawa, Urasoe. The prefecture has a subtropical climate, characterized by warm temperatures and high rainfall throughout the year. People from the Ryukyu Islands, Nansei Islands, including Okinawa Island, Okinawa, the Sakishima Islands, and parts of Kagoshima Prefecture, are often collectively referred ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Volcano And Ryukyu Islands Campaign
The Volcano and Ryūkyū Islands campaign was a series of battles and engagements between Allies of World War II, Allied forces and Imperial Japanese armed forces, Imperial Japanese Forces in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II, Pacific Ocean campaign of World War II between January and June 1945. The campaign took place in the Bonin Islands, Volcano and Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu island groups. The two main land battles in the campaign were the Battle of Iwo Jima (16 February to 26 March 1945) and the Battle of Okinawa (1 April to 21 June 1945). One major naval battle occurred, called Operation Ten-Go (7 April 1945) after the operational title given to it by the Japanese. The campaign was part of the Allied Japan campaign intended to provide staging areas for an Operation Downfall, invasion of Japan as well as supporting aerial bombardment and a naval blockade of the Japanese mainland. The dropping of Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, atomic weapons on two Japanese c ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Bernard Rawlings (Royal Navy Officer)
Admiral Sir Henry Bernard Hughes Rawlings GBE, KCB (21 May 1889 – 30 September 1962) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Flag Officer, Eastern Mediterranean during the Second World War. Naval career Rawlings was born in St Erth, Cornwall, England, on 21 May 1889. Following education at Stubbington House School, Rawlings joined the Royal Navy in 1904 and served in the First World War. After the war he worked for the Foreign Office and undertook Military Missions in Poland. He then commanded the destroyer and then the cruisers and before becoming Naval Attaché in Tokyo in 1936. Rawlings served in the Second World War, initially commanding the battleship , then commanding the 1st Battle Squadron from 1940 with the acting rank of Rear-Admiral before being promoted to the rank in January 1942. He was appointed in command of the 7th Cruiser Squadron in May, and became Assistant Chief of Naval Staff in April 1942. He was appointed Flag Officer, West Africa in March ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
1st Marine Division (United States)
The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine (military), Marine Division (military), division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). It is the oldest and largest List of United States Marine Corps divisions, active duty division in the United States Marine Corps, representing a combat-ready force of 22,000 personnel. It is one of three active duty divisions in the Marine Corps today and is a multi-role, expeditionary ground combat force. It is nicknamed "The Old Breed". Mission The division is employed as the ground combat element (GCE) of the I Marine Expeditionary Force or may provide task-organized forces for assault operations and such operations as may be directed. The 1st Marine Division must be able to provide the ground amphibious forcible entry capability to the naval expeditionary force (NEF) and to conduct subsequent land operat ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
III Amphibious Corps (United States)
III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) to amphibious assault and high-intensity combat. It maintains a forward presence in Japan and Asia to support the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan (1960) and other alliance relationships of the United States. III MEF also conducts combined operations and training throughout the region in support of the National Security Strategy for Theater Security Cooperation. The Marines and sailors of III MEF engage in more than 65 combined, bilateral and multilateral training exercises annually throughout the Asia-Pacific region, in countries including treaty allies Japan, Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia. These exercises build partner capacity, develop and mai ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Seiichi Itō
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and the flag officer of the task force centered around the battleship on her final mission towards the end of World War II. Biography Early career Born in Miike County Takada Town (present day Miyama City, Fukuoka Prefecture), Itō graduated from the 39th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1911. He was 15th in a class of 148 cadets, and served as midshipman on the cruiser and battleship . His rise through the ranks was regular and rapid: ensign on December 1, 1912, sub-lieutenant on December 1, 1914, and lieutenant on December 1, 1917. Itō returned to the Naval Staff College in 1923, graduating from the 21st class as a lieutenant commander. Itō visited the United States from May–December 1927, and was promoted to commander on his return. He became captain on December 1, 1931, and was assigned as naval attaché to Manchukuo from March 1932-November 1933. Along with Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Itō, well aware ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Hiromichi Yahara
was the senior staff officer in charge of operations of the Thirty-Second Army (Japan), 32nd Japanese Army at Okinawa Island, Okinawa during the Battle of Okinawa, American invasion of that island during World War II. Defense of Okinawa Yahara, who had taught strategy at the Army War College (Japan), Army War College, was assigned to Okinawa prior to the anticipated American invasion to organize its pre-invasion strategy. His recommended strategy for fighting the American invaders was to continue to tie up the American military as long as possible in a war of attrition (jikyūsen, 持久戦), so that the rumored American invasion of Kyūshū, Empire of Japan, Japan, would be delayed, thereby allowing Kyushu defenders more time to better prepare their defenses. Once the Okinawa invasion started, Yahara recommended holding back Japanese forces for as long as possible and using them primarily in a defensive posture, rather than an aggressive one. However, Chief of Staff of the Army, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Isamu Chō
was an officer in the Imperial Japanese Army known for his support of ultranationalist politics and involvement in a number of attempted coup d'états in pre-World War II Japan. Biography Chō was a native of Fukuoka prefecture. He graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1913 and from the Army Staff College in 1928. After he received his commission, Chō was assigned to his first duty outside Japan with the politicized Kwantung Army based in eastern China. He returned to play a very active role in internal politics within the Japanese army, and was an active or indirect participant in the March Incident and the Imperial Colors Incident (with other leaders: Kingoro Hashimoto, Jirō Minami, Sadao Araki for the military, and nationalists Ikki Kita, Shūmei Ōkawa, Mitsuru Toyama, Kanichiro Kamei and Kozaburo Tachibana). He was a founder of the radical " Sakurakai" secret society, whose aim was to overthrow the democratic government in favor of a totalitari ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Mitsuru Ushijima
was a Japanese general who served during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. He was the commanding general of the 32nd Army, which fought in the Battle of Okinawa during the final stages of the war. Ushijima's troops were defeated, and at the end of the battle he committed suicide. Biography Early career Ushijima was born in Kagoshima city, where his father had been a samurai in the service of Satsuma Domain and later a career officer in the early Imperial Japanese Army. He was the fourth son, and one of his elder brothers served as governor of Ibaraki Prefecture. The family relocated to Tokyo, but when his father died shortly after Ushijima was born, his mother moved the family back to Kagoshima. He graduated from school with honors and decided to follow in his father's footsteps for a military career. Ushijima graduated from the 20th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1908 with honors, and was noted for his mastery of the '' Jigen-ryū'' school of Ja ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Thirty-Second Army (Japan)
The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during the final stages of World War II. It was annihilated during the Battle of Okinawa. History The Japanese 32nd Army was formed on March 13, 1944 as part of the last desperate defense effort by the Empire of Japan to deter possible landings of Allied forces in Okinawa and the surrounding Ryukyu Islands. The Japanese 32nd Army had 77,000 men (39,000 infantry in 31 battalions and 38,000 artillery, armor and combat service troops) plus the 10,000 man Okinawa Naval Base Force and 42,000 Okinawan conscripts. However, many of its personnel were poorly trained reservists, conscripted students and home guard militia. It was annihilated during the Battle of Okinawa from April to June, 1945. List of commanders Commanding officer Chief of Staff Structure ;32nd Army, HQ at Naha, Okinawa * 9th Infantry Division (transferred to Taiwan, Dec 1944) * 24th Infantry Division - a conventional triangular division **22nd Infantry Regiment * ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Minoru Ōta
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, and the final commander of the Japanese naval forces defending the Oroku Peninsula during the Battle of Okinawa. Biography Ōta was a native of Nagara, Chiba. He graduated 64th out of 118 cadets from the 41st class of the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy in 1913. Ōta served his midshipman duty on the cruiser on its long-distance training voyage to Honolulu, San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, San Pedro, San Francisco, Vancouver, Victoria, British Columbia, Victoria, Tacoma, Washington, Tacoma, Seattle, Hakodate and Aomori, Aomori, Aomori. After his return to Japan, he was assigned to the battleship , and after he was commissioned an Ensign (rank), ensign, to the battleship . After promotion to lieutenant in 1916, he returned to naval artillery school, but was forced to take a year off active service from November 1917 to September 1918 due to tuberculosis. On his return to active duty, he completed coursework in t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Soemu Toyoda
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. Biography Early career Toyoda was born in what is now part Kitsuki city, Ōita Prefecture. He graduated from the 33rd class of the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy in 1905, ranked 26th out of 176 cadets. He served his midshipman duty aboard the cruisers and , and after being commissioned as an ensign on 20 December 1906, he was assigned to the destroyer . He was promoted to sub-lieutenant on 25 September 1908. Toyoda returned to school, becoming a torpedo and naval artillery expert. As a lieutenant from 1 December 1911, he served on the battlecruiser . He graduated from the Naval War College (Japan) with honors in 1915, and was promoted to lieutenant commander on 1 April 1917. From 1917 to 1919, he was '' aide-de-camp'' to Admiral Motaro Yoshimatsu ( :ja:吉松茂太郎). From 1919 to 1922, he was sent as naval attaché to the United Kingdom, during which time he was promoted to commander on 1 December 1 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |