Page 54 - History of War - Issue 01-14

THE US PACIFIC CAMPAIGN

Japan’s other priority of joining up with its with any industry. Bizarrely, the USAAF still tried
TIMELINEcont'd forces in Indochina had also been achieved. In to claim that these incendiary attacks by night
January 1945, when its divisions from China constituted “precision” bombing.
1945 6-7 APRIL crossed into Indochina, Japanese senior offi cers campaign had been shaken by their losses,
Bomber crews in the early part of the
there had been shocked by their condition – they
More than 300
Japanese kamikaze had long hair and beards, their uniforms were and they started to calculate their odds on
7 MARCH pilots take off, having in tatters and few retained any badges of rank. surviving a 35-mission tour. But the destruction
On Iwo Jima, General been ordered to attack They were incorporated into the 38th Army to of aircraft factories and the losses of Japanese
Graves Erskine orders US carriers. Combined fi ght in northern Tonkin against the guerrillas of fi ghters, most of which had been diverted to
the 9th Marine with these air attacks, Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh’s men had assisted kamikaze attacks against the US Navy, soon
Regiment to attack the the giant battleship the Allies with intelligence and the return of meant that they could roam over Japanese
Japanese under the Yamato – accompanied downed air crew, as had Thai groups provided air space with comparatively little danger. Iwo
cover of darkness, with by a light cruiser and with radios and weapons parachuted in by the Jima, although only 7km long, was revealed
no preliminary barrage. eight destroyers – is SOE (Special Operations Executive) and the OSS by air reconnaissance to be a tough objective.
This proves to be a assigned to attack the (Offi ce of Strategic Services). LeMay needed to reassure Admiral Spruance

huge success, with US fleet off Okinawa.
many men taken out However, it’s soon On 12 January, Halsey’s 3rd Fleet reached that it was necessary to take it for his bomber
whilst still asleep. destroyed. Further Indochinese waters to strike at two Japanese offensive against Japan. The large island of
kamikaze attacks
8 MARCH take place on 11 and battleship carriers in Camranh Bay. This roving Okinawa would be invaded six weeks later.
sortie was Halsey’s swansong before he
The Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima were
The Japanese launch 15 April, each one handed over command to Admiral Raymond commanded by Lieutenant General Kuribayashi
a counter-attack at successfully hitting US Spruance. The two Japanese warships had left Tadamichi, a sophisticated and intelligent
night, with a thousand carriers. By the end of for Singapore after US submarines had sunk cavalry man. He had no illusions about the fi nal
men charging the the Okinawa campaign, their tankers, but aircraft from Halsey’s 13 fl eet outcome of the battle, but he had prepared his
US lines, causing the suicides of 1,465
numerous deaths. Japanese pilots carriers sank a light cruiser, 11 small warships, positions to prolong it for as long as possible.
Once again, this meant constructing cave and
13 cargo ships and ten tankers, as well as the
9 MARCH have sunk 29 ships, French cruiser Lamotte-Picquet. While they were tunnel networks, as well as bunkers made out
damaged 120, killed
The 3rd Marine 3,048 sailors and in the area, the Navy fl yers shot up airfi elds of a concrete that mixed cement with volcanic
Division reaches Iwo wounded 6,035. around Saigon, destroying Japanese aircraft. shingle. Despite the small size of the island,
Jima’s most north- 14 APRIL The fi rst information for bombing targets in the tunnels stretched for 25km. Once the small
eastern beach, cutting Japan was provided by Thai diplomats based civilian population on the island had been
the enemy defences The 29th and 4th in Tokyo, who passed it on through the Thai evacuated, reinforcements arrived, bringing
in two. On this same Marine Regiments
day, US General attack the base where resistance to the OSS. By December 1944, the Tadamichi’s strength to 21,000 soldiers and
Curtis LeMay’s 21st Japanese Colonel air bases on Guam, Tinian and Saipan were in Marines. His men swore to kill at least ten
Bomber Command Takehido Udo is operation. Using the great advantages that the Americans before being killed themselves.

launches its first major hiding. After a two-
incendiary attack day battle and after THE MEN OF THE 37TH DIVISION
on Tokyo, sparing having suffered heavy
neither residential casualties, they take HAD LONG HAIR AND BEARDS, THEIR
nor industrial zones. Yae-dake. Colonel w
More than a quarter Udo, however, has UNIFORMS WERE IN TATTERS AND FEW
of a million buildings slipped through the RETAINED ANY BADGES OF RANK
go up in flames. More forest with some of

than 83,000 people his men to pursue the

are killed and another fight from elsewhere. Mariana Islands offered over the China airfi elds, The US air force bombed Iwo Jima from
41,000 are injured. 3 MAY all B29 Superfortress operations were gradually the Marianas for 76 days. Then, at dawn on
11 MARCH Rangoon in Burma concentrated there under the command of Major 16 February, the Japanese saw from their
bunkers and caves that the invasion fl eet
General Curtis E LeMay. Yet bomber losses
The Japanese become is taken by XV Corps, mounted, partly from fi ghters rising to intercept had arrived during the night. The naval task
trapped in an area assisted by the them from intervening islands, especially Iwo force anchored offshore began to bombard
around Kitano Point, Burmese Independent
Iwo Jima’s most Army, which has Jima. Japanese Navy fi ghter pilots at dispersal the island. But instead of the ten days that
northerly extremity. changed allegiance on Kyushu played bridge as they waited to Marine Commanders had requested, Admiral
20 MARCH and joined the Allies. be scrambled to attack Superfortresses high Spruance reduced the softening-up operation to
General Kimura
overhead on their way to Tokyo. Their passion
three days. Considering the tonnage of bombs
The Burmese city of Hoyotaro’s forces for the game was a bizarre legacy from the days and shells hurled at the island, damage to the
Mandalay is captured have no choice but to when the Imperial Japanese Navy wanted to defences was minimal. The only exception
after a hard battle in retreat into Thailand ape the Royal Navy. The US command decided was when Japanese batteries opened up
which the Japanese and try breaking out to invade Iwo Jima, with its airfi eld from which prematurely at some rocket-launching landing
are forced to retreat. to the east across the Japanese fi ghters operated against the bombers craft, which their Commander assumed to
26 MARCH River Sittang. However, and the bases on the Marianas. Once seized, it be the fi rst wave of the invasion. As soon as
the British, knowing

Iwo Jima is officially of their plans, ambush could provide a landing strip for stricken aircraft. they revealed their positions, the battleships’
declared secure. them, allowing only On 9 March, the same day as the Japanese heavy guns traversed onto them. But when the
1 APRIL 6,000 out of 17,000 removed the French administration in Indochina, amphibious assault began on 19 February, most
men to escape alive.
of Kuribayashi’s artillery was still untouched.
LeMay’s 21st Bomber Command launched its
Admiral Richmond 22 JUNE fi rst major incendiary attack on Tokyo. The 334 The 4th and 5th Marine Divisions landed in

Turner’s fleet of Superfortresses carpet-bombed the city, sparing the fi rst wave on the south-eastern shore, and
50,000 men lands General Ushijima and
on Okinawa and, Lieutenant General neither residential nor industrial zones. More were followed by the 3rd Marine Division. The
combined with the 2nd Cho, defeated in than a quarter of a million buildings went up beaches of volcanic sand were so steep that
Marine Division, makes their bunker, make in fl ames. Altogether, 83,000 people died and the heavily laden Marines struggled up them
a feint assault on the preparations for another 41,000 were severely injured – a far with diffi culty. Japanese gunfi re intensifi ed, with
south-eastern tip. ritual suicide by self- greater toll than when the second atom bomb huge mortars of 320mm dropping their bombs
5 APRIL disembowelment and was dropped on Nagasaki fi ve months later. on the landing area. Wounded men brought back
beheading by their General MacArthur opposed the area bombing to the beach were often killed before they could
The two divisions respectful aides. of Tokyo, but US hearts had been hardened be evacuated to one of the ships. Bodies were
reach General Mitsuru 2 SEPTEMBER
Ushijima’s main by the kamikaze campaign against their ships. mangled and blown apart in a terrible way.
defence line in the General Yamashita LeMay, however, did not answer to MacArthur, Part of the 5th Division swung left to attack
hills and are engaged emerges to give himself and his only concession was to drop leafl ets the dormant volcano of Mount Suribachi at the

in a fierce battle. up for surrender. warning civilians to leave all towns and cities southern tip. An offi cer had a fl ag ready to
54 HISTORY WAR
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