This battle changed my Great uncles life till his death in 2013. He unfortunately was the only person, who could identify his three friends bodies after a Japanese torpedo hit. He had already been a veteran of the Philippines 1944.
My great uncle, an African American MP soldier in the Seventh Infantry division that survived through Okinawa and lived to 2006 said he saw his friend from the same hood step on a land mind and got vaporized, had to fight hand to hand combat, from Japs who had no fear of dying like Kama Kazzi charges on foot. He had to run for a half of day just to stay alive, The artillery was very extra horrifying, the food supply got cut off or destroyed so they had to eat rats like fried chicken. He was right I even saw a lot about this battle on documentaries and heard from a few more old schools as well. From what I heard Okinawa was like the Vietnam of World War 2. Sorry if I was too graphic.
The two bombs killed tens of thousands of Japanese. A full scale invasion of the home islands would have resulted in 2 or 3 million Japanese dead, and as many as half a million American KIA ,WIA and MIA. A fight to the death with American troops would have obliterated Japan forever. So though ghastly and horrible the usage of the two weapons actually saved millions of lives and also preserved Japanese viability as a post war nation.
To answer your question in one word, "Yes." And to intimidate Russia a bit too. And . . . avoiding a land invasion of Japan save probably hundreds of thousand Japanese lives too, which is almost never mentioned as motivation to use the bomb. You, yourself reported on all the Japanese civilians who flung themselves off cliffs rather than surrendering themselves to the Americans and I know from many other documentaries that all Japanese were trained to fight to the death to defend their homeland. Thank you for another great, informative video.
I have been watching your videos for a while now. I think your videos are the best that is out there. Your analysis is the best out there. I really enjoy your videos. As a history lover I watch many World War Two videos and I think yours is the best out there.
Thanks so much again for sharing your great work! I love watching all your videos, as long as it is in English, us Aussies are struggling enough with the language of our English heritage 😂 Great work and appreciate your time and effort ❤😊
The Japanese would have fought for the home island to the last man, woman and child. They also had troops all over the East who also would not surrender. The Emperor and the military had to be persuaded to end the war. Last century my uncle told me a story about the Kamikaze planes. Two Navy planes followed one over the fleet knowing the risk. All three were shot down. Desperate times.
The Japanese were starving..they were on the edge of surrender....their Kwantung army surrendered to the Soviets who also stormed the Kuriles....you should re-read your history , the atomic bombs were unnecessary and genocidal.
@@daviddoran3673 The Japanese people were told that the Americans would show them no mercy just as the Japanese killed their captives. They even started the rumor that to be a Marine, you had to kill both your parents.
@@daviddoran3673 >"they were on the edge of surrender" No they weren't. They were doing everything in their power to prepare for a US invasion of Kyushu. >"their Kwantung army surrendered to the Soviets" The Kwantung army surrendered because the Japanese government capitulated halfway through the Soviet invasion -.- >"the atomic bombs were unnecessary and genocidal" I don't think you understand the definition of genocide.
That was an interesting thought that dropping the atomic bombs on Japan could have been a warning to Russia. I thought it was because America wanted to avoid massive casualties. Maybe it was a bit of both.
I believe that Harry Truman explained that had he sacrificed 300,000 American lives to conquer the Japanese homeland and THEN the America populace had learned that America already had possessed the atomic bomb, America never would have forgiven him.
Estimates ranged between 500,000 and 1,000,000 casualties to invade Japan and frankly the US manpower wasn’t adequate to absorb this. In Normandy infantry and tanker casualties were so high they were taking men from anti aircraft and other support units to try to make up the difference. The UScouldnt bear the casualties to invade Japan when another option was available
War Academy: You ask what we think about use of the Atomic Bombs. That is similar to gathering a bunch of Boy Scouts to decide if the French soldiers invading England in 1066 should have had more vegetables to eat. Our opinions of past events are irrelevant. Almost no one among us has ever even served in the military. Virtually none of us are even taught the full truth of ALL that was happening then. Virtually no Americans today realize that in the Summer of 1945, the Soviets kept their promise and were attacking the Japanese from the north. The sad part is we pretend to know the "right" answer.
I think it’s pretty clear a surrender to the US was a better long term outcome. There’s a good chance there would have been a north/south Japan like west/east Germany and that would put into question the rise of Sony’s giant companies that make the country wealthy. Economically it was objectively better for Japan to surrender.
Thank you 😊 for sharing this wonderful explanation about Okinawa Island assaults by US troops during WW2.. I think( Botsdam meeting ) of three main leaders of Allies states..it's circumstances 🤔 at first 1- President of USA (Henry Truman) wanted showing US strengths to Stalin & indirectly frightening (Stalin) of USSR...considered another important reason for using atomic bombs by USA against Japan cities..especially through Botsdam conferences three leaders demanded unconditional surrender for Japan as lonely option..while Stalin suggested that USSR launching wars against Japan and ( liberated) it during 3 months...but Henry Truman was not permitted due to future security of US dominant on northern sides of Pacific ocean & Eastern side of north poles ..(War Academy) channel always sharing informative subjects with clearly explaining
Good video and think atomic bombs looked both ways, MacArthur’s predicted one million US casualties from a mainland invasion and anti soviet posturing. Btw, amused that most of the video referred to Gen Buckner as Simon Bolivar! Good stuff though.
This battle was always very interesting to me even more so after reading books like "With the old breed". Its a shame we have very little accounts from the japanese side of this battle, must have been really interesting to know what they thought during that stalemate of april-may
Love your channel, in your opinion do you think United States would have used the atomic bomb against Germany if the circumstances were similar to the war in the Pacific?
The majority of the dead were Okinawan civilians thanks to believing mainland Japanese soldiers B/S. Both my Okinawan mother and father in-laws were teenagers during the War. I know some serious stories
Search the Okinawa Japan in Google map and look that's a small island compared to Mainland Japan and the Americans have heavy casualties in small island😂
This battle changed my Great uncles life till his death in 2013. He unfortunately was the only person, who could identify his three friends bodies after a Japanese torpedo hit. He had already been a veteran of the Philippines 1944.
My great uncle, an African American MP soldier in the Seventh Infantry division that survived through Okinawa and lived to 2006 said he saw his friend from the same hood step on a land mind and got vaporized, had to fight hand to hand combat, from Japs who had no fear of dying like Kama Kazzi charges on foot. He had to run for a half of day just to stay alive, The artillery was very extra horrifying, the food supply got cut off or destroyed so they had to eat rats like fried chicken. He was right I even saw a lot about this battle on documentaries and heard from a few more old schools as well. From what I heard Okinawa was like the Vietnam of World War 2. Sorry if I was too graphic.
So the Japanese took out the Commander of this operation with an artillery strike... Yikes lucky shot.
The two bombs killed tens of thousands of Japanese. A full scale invasion of the home islands would have resulted in 2 or 3 million Japanese dead, and as many as half a million American KIA ,WIA and MIA.
A fight to the death with American troops would have obliterated Japan forever. So though ghastly and horrible the usage of the two weapons actually saved millions of lives and also preserved Japanese viability as a post war nation.
To answer your question in one word, "Yes." And to intimidate Russia a bit too. And . . . avoiding a land invasion of Japan save probably hundreds of thousand Japanese lives too, which is almost never mentioned as motivation to use the bomb. You, yourself reported on all the Japanese civilians who flung themselves off cliffs rather than surrendering themselves to the Americans and I know from many other documentaries that all Japanese were trained to fight to the death to defend their homeland. Thank you for another great, informative video.
I have been watching your videos for a while now. I think your videos are the best that is out there. Your analysis is the best out there. I really enjoy your videos. As a history lover I watch many World War Two videos and I think yours is the best out there.
Ty
Thanks so much again for sharing your great work!
I love watching all your videos, as long as it is in English, us Aussies are struggling enough with the language of our English heritage 😂
Great work and appreciate your time and effort ❤😊
I still can't draw a conclusion about the bomb. It is evident that people prepared to sacrifice all for thier cause are a brutal opponent.
The Japanese would have fought for the home island to the last man, woman and child. They also had troops all over the East who also would not surrender. The Emperor and the military had to be persuaded to end the war.
Last century my uncle told me a story about the Kamikaze planes. Two Navy planes followed one over the fleet knowing the risk. All three were shot down. Desperate times.
The Japanese were starving..they were on the edge of surrender....their Kwantung army surrendered to the Soviets who also stormed the Kuriles....you should re-read your history , the atomic bombs were unnecessary and genocidal.
@@daviddoran3673 The Japanese people were told that the Americans would show them no mercy just as the Japanese killed their captives. They even started the rumor that to be a Marine, you had to kill both your parents.
@@daviddoran3673 they were just as race centered as the Nazis. Mass killings of fellow Asians was not only tolerated but encouraged.
@@daviddoran3673 >"they were on the edge of surrender"
No they weren't. They were doing everything in their power to prepare for a US invasion of Kyushu.
>"their Kwantung army surrendered to the Soviets"
The Kwantung army surrendered because the Japanese government capitulated halfway through the Soviet invasion -.-
>"the atomic bombs were unnecessary and genocidal"
I don't think you understand the definition of genocide.
That was an interesting thought that dropping the atomic bombs on Japan could have been a warning to Russia. I thought it was because America wanted to avoid massive casualties. Maybe it was a bit of both.
Interesting but not true
I believe that Harry Truman explained that had he sacrificed 300,000 American lives to conquer the Japanese homeland and THEN the America populace had learned that America already had possessed the atomic bomb, America never would have forgiven him.
Excelente Channel
Estimates ranged between 500,000 and 1,000,000 casualties to invade Japan and frankly the US manpower wasn’t adequate to absorb this. In Normandy infantry and tanker casualties were so high they were taking men from anti aircraft and other support units to try to make up the difference. The UScouldnt bear the casualties to invade Japan when another option was available
War Academy: You ask what we think about use of the Atomic Bombs. That is similar to gathering a bunch of Boy Scouts to decide if the French soldiers invading England in 1066 should have had more vegetables to eat. Our opinions of past events are irrelevant. Almost no one among us has ever even served in the military. Virtually none of us are even taught the full truth of ALL that was happening then. Virtually no Americans today realize that in the Summer of 1945, the Soviets kept their promise and were attacking the Japanese from the north. The sad part is we pretend to know the "right" answer.
I think it’s pretty clear a surrender to the US was a better long term outcome. There’s a good chance there would have been a north/south Japan like west/east Germany and that would put into question the rise of Sony’s giant companies that make the country wealthy.
Economically it was objectively better for Japan to surrender.
Yes
THE BOMB saved lives on both sides history man
That's the man! Do you call yourself a man? Still?
Nah
The bomb was one factor, yes.
Plus the Soviets entering the war with Japan
Thank you 😊 for sharing this wonderful explanation about Okinawa Island assaults by US troops during WW2.. I think( Botsdam meeting ) of three main leaders of Allies states..it's circumstances 🤔 at first 1- President of USA (Henry Truman) wanted showing US strengths to Stalin & indirectly frightening (Stalin) of USSR...considered another important reason for using atomic bombs by USA against Japan cities..especially through Botsdam conferences three leaders demanded unconditional surrender for Japan as lonely option..while Stalin suggested that USSR launching wars against Japan and ( liberated) it during 3 months...but Henry Truman was not permitted due to future security of US dominant on northern sides of Pacific ocean & Eastern side of north poles ..(War Academy) channel always sharing informative subjects with clearly explaining
Good video and think atomic bombs looked both ways, MacArthur’s predicted one million US casualties from a mainland invasion and anti soviet posturing. Btw, amused that most of the video referred to Gen Buckner as Simon Bolivar! Good stuff though.
This battle was always very interesting to me even more so after reading books like "With the old breed". Its a shame we have very little accounts from the japanese side of this battle, must have been really interesting to know what they thought during that stalemate of april-may
Why do you think the Americans dropped atomic bombs on japan as warning to soviet union? Perhaps you could make a video about it?
Love your channel, in your opinion do you think United States would have used the atomic bomb against Germany if the circumstances were similar to the war in the Pacific?
My uncle Wilbur Arrey gave his young life for us to enjoy America
How many American deaths after the battle? (Non related & battle related casualties?) thanks.
The majority of the dead were Okinawan civilians thanks to believing mainland Japanese soldiers B/S. Both my Okinawan mother and father in-laws were teenagers during the War. I know some serious stories
Use German prisoners to conquer Japan.
The what ifs of history. What if Japan or Germany had the atomic bomb . How different the world would be today .
Probably would be too late, at that point the axis (both Japan and Germany) air force was dwindled down greatly.
Could you do a video about operation Unthinkable?
But Okinawa was not actually a Japanese Island and is still occupied by the US.
Search the Okinawa Japan in Google map and look that's a small island compared to Mainland Japan and the Americans have heavy casualties in small island😂
It's not occupied by the US, having a military base somewhere doesn't mean your occupying that place. Okinawa is now fully part of japan
¡Creo que si aprendieras un poco de inglés obtendrías un montón de visitas! O al menos aprende a sondear lo que dice el traductor. Buen contenido!
Thanks for the atomic bombs, if not Japan would've suffered so much more n possibly be divided in 2 parts like Korea n Vietnam.
The battle of iwo jima actually ended march 26 1945 not march 6.