[jazusamo]

"THE STRIKING 6th"

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

The 6th Division captured more than two-thirds of Okinawa, which military history accounts said was a strategic jewel. The Marines captured five enemy airfields, two seaplane bases and three anchorages. Control of the island meant that Allied forces controlled the East China Sea and cut off Japanese shipping routes.

Marines killed more than 18,000 Japanese troops, more than had been killed by any Marine division in any other campaign, and captured 3,254 prisoners, also a record, according to historical accounts.

[indcons]

In before jazusamo's ping :)

To all: please ping me to threads that are relevant to the MilHist list (and/or) please add the keyword "MilHist" to the appropriate thread. Thanks in advance.

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[colorado tanker]

Okinawa was one long and tough campaign. It was the first time our troops captured territory considered part of Japan proper inhabited by large numbers of Japanese civilians.

The people who say we shouldn't have dropped the bombs need to study Okinawa because it was a preview of the horrors that would have happened if we had to invade the home islands.