World War II - Okinawa
The battle of Okinawa was the last and bloodiest big battle of the Pacific war, lasting from April 1 to June 22, 1945. Okinawa is part of a string of islands just south of Japan, and it was actually Japanese territory before the war. The next step after Okinawa was the planned invasion of Japan.
Above, Marines washing on Okinawa using an abandoned Japanese fire fighting device.
We've seen this photo before. It shows Marines bathing in a bomb crater on Okinawa. Fighting was extremely fierce.
This video shows soldiers bathing in shallow coastal waters during the battle.
An estimated 110,000 Japanese soldiers were killed or committed suicide. This was the first battle in which thousands of Japanese soldiers surrendered and were taken prisoner. Many of them were native Okinawans who had been pressed into military service and who were less indoctrinated with the Japanese Army's "never surrender" doctrine. Nevertheless, they were amazed by the humane treatment that they received as prisoners, having been told that the Americans were barbarians who committed atrocities.
Above, wounded Japanese prisoners at the 88th field hospital on Okinawa.
Above, at the 88th field hospital, an American treats prisoners for lice, probably using DDT, which at the time was the new miracle treatment.
Above, LIFE war photographer W. Eugene Smith, wounded on Okinawa. 14,000 Americans were killed on Okinawa as well as 150,000 Okinawans, an estimated 50% of the civilian population. Many of the Okinawans committed mass suicide at the urging of the Japanese Army.
Okinawa was considered the dress rehearsal for the upcoming invasion of Japan. The War Department estimated that casualties would be horrendous: 400,000 to 800,000 Americans dead, and 5 to 10 million Japanese dead. That is why both military and civilian American leaders supported President Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, 1945, forcing Japan's surrender and ending the war.
7 comments:
thanks for posting the, we need to be reminded of the ferocity of that conflict. One caveat: the sailors would not have been bathing in the surf during the battle, this was filmed after hostilities had ceased.
I think that no one thinks of being naked when one wants to wash. The urgency of cleaning outweighs any shame.
What moving historical film and photos. Puts everything into perspective.
Great post!
We should occasionally be reminded of the horrors of war. It would be nice if humanity would spend more time naked and less time forcing their ideologies on others.
Thank you for this.
Funny thing about DDT: Pyrethrins do the same these days without the side effects. Technology marches on.
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