The Battle of the Pacific Essay -- Military History

Introduction April 1, 1945 the United States Military had its sights set on a small island chain known as the Ryukyu Islands. The main island of Okinawa would be the primary target. Sixty miles long and two to eighteen miles wide, this island was only three hundred and forty miles from mainland Japan. This island would put U.S. forces in air bombing range of mainland Japan. The Tenth Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Butler, consisted of two Army divisions and Two Marine divisions. Also the United States Navy 5th Fleet commanded by Admiral Raymond Spruance. The thirty second Japanese Army, commanded by General Mitsuru Ushijima, would try to defend Okinawa. United States forces were met with little resistance during the invasion however this battle would prove to be one of the fiercest in the Pacific. A cost that did not have to be paid considering the atomic bomb would end the war weeks after the fighting had halted. History On December 7th 1941, the Japanese military attacked Pearl Harbor and Americans were caught completely off guard. Eight United States Navy ships were damaged and five were sunk. 2,403 Americans lost their lives with 1,178 wounded. This incident thrust the U.S. military into World War 2. The next three years the United States found themselves in fierce battles throughout the Pacific. The technique used is referred to as island hopping. After Midway, the Philippines, the Marianas, and Iwo Jima it was now time for Okinawa. Okinawa its self is a territory of Japan. The civilian populous, once a monarchy, was caught in the middle of a bloody battle. Planning and Preparation The original plan was to take the Island of Formosa, or Taiwan as it is commonly known. After... ... The staggering cost of this battle was one that didn’t necessarily have to be paid. On August 6th the first atomic bomb named Little Boy, was dropped on Hiroshima. Three days later a second atomic bomb, named Fat Man, was dropped on Nagasaki. On August 15th, just six weeks after the fighting on Okinawa was over, Japan announced its surrender. On September 2nd the official declaration of surrender was signed by the Japanese. References Fiefer, George Tennozan the Battle of Okinawa and the Atomic Bomb, Ticnor and Fields 1992 Leckie, Robert Okinawa the Last Battle of World War II, Viking Penguin 1995 Pryce, Richard O.K.K.A. â€Å"The Battle of Okinawa†, www.okka.co.uk/battleofokinawa.html Thomas, Evan Sea of Thunder, Simon and Schuster 2006 â€Å"World war II in Europe†, History Place 1997, www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/pearl.html