"Our attack pattern was: barrage a hill with bombs and shells, move up the foot soldiers, hold it against counterattacks, fight down the reverse slope, then start on the next one. We would attack during the day..."
An American GI at Okinawa
Strategies
The Japanese were dug in for defense- having the home turf advantage, they hid in caves and along paths, ambushing American soldiers as they struggled through the rough terrain.
American troops swept through the island, capturing air strips to prevent kamikaze fighters from taking off and to launch planes of their own. They fought from the beach down the slopes and paths, using bombs and shells to flush out and kill hiding enemy troops. After clearing an area, they would secure it and hold it for the night before continuing on the next day.
American troops swept through the island, capturing air strips to prevent kamikaze fighters from taking off and to launch planes of their own. They fought from the beach down the slopes and paths, using bombs and shells to flush out and kill hiding enemy troops. After clearing an area, they would secure it and hold it for the night before continuing on the next day.