Naval and air forces based in the Aleutians would be called upon to lend general support wherever possible. All plans were directed toward the successful execution of the greatest amphibious operation ever planned. Strategic reserve for the entire operation would consist of a corps of 3 divisions located in the Philippines and a sufficient number of divisions from the United States to permit reinforcement at the rate of 4 per month.

Plans included 2,500 more to be made available by the end of September. (Plate No. The Philippines, Ryukyus, Marianas, and Hawaii were the four Pacific bases chosen to stage, equip, and mount the invasion forces. Meanwhile, the Japanese had their own plans. V Marine Amphibious Corps (3rd, 4th, and 5th Marine Divisions) would go ashore in the vicinity of Kushikino, drive eastward to secure the western shore of Kagoshima Bay, and then turn north to block the movement of enemy reinforcement from upper Kyushu. 118) The 40th Division, reinforced, was named as the advance attack force and given the mission of seizing positions in the Koshiki Island group located off Kyushu's southwest coast opposite Sendai. Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, extends about 200 miles from north to south and has a general width of about 80 to 120 miles from east to west. The 40th Division was also given the mission of making preliminary landings in the four islands of Tanega, Make, Take, and Io off the southern tip of Kyusyu. Unless there was insufficient supporting air power available or the resources in the Pacific could not be gathered in time to initiate the assault by 1945, he advocated the immediate adoption of this last course. The land campaign and its requirements were to be given first priority in all subsequent preparations for the Kyushu assault. XI Corps (81st and 98th Divisions), initially in the Sixth Army Reserve afloat, was selected to carry out the diversionary threat off the island of Shikoku while the other three assault forces moved on the actual landing beaches. Then, in the Battle of Midway the following month, US carrier aircraft dealt a devastating blow to the Japanese navy, destroying four aircraft carriers. Since these three areas were geographically cut off from each other, it was believed that the Americans would seek to divide and contain the Japanese units therein. 114) Eastern Japan was put under the First General Army of Marshal Gen Sugiyama, while western Japan came under the Second General Army of Marshal Shunroku Hata. The Japanese feared that if the invasion of the Kanto region should be initiated immediately after the Kyushu attack, or if Honshu should be assaulted directly, an adequate defense could not be made since most of the Japanese air and naval power would already have been committed to Kyushu. All air attacks would be intensified as the landing date approached, culminating in an all-out effort, co-ordinated with naval bombardment, during the last fifteen days. To conserve air strength for employment against the landing forces, carrier task forces supporting the invasion would be attacked by only a few hundred planes and then only when it became unmistakable that a full-scale invasion was in progress.

It is reasonable to assume, however, that Operation "Downfall" could have been successfully concluded only after a hard and bitter struggle with no quarter asked or given. As soon as the invasion convoy entered its anchorage, the destroyers would attack in co-ordination with air force planes and surface and underwater special-attack units. Four months after the first American troops had fought their way ashore on Kyushu, the next and decisive amphibious operation against Japan would be launched. The American plan for the invasion of Kyushu contemplated the seizure of only the southern part of the island below a line drawn from Tsuno on the east coast to Sendai on the west. The destruction or blockade of the exposed bridges, tunnels, and defiles would seriously disrupt the transportation system and impede commercial and industrial activities. The "Coronet" operation would be adjusted accordingly. 122) The total defeat of Japan's armies in the core of the Empire was the over-all primary objective. 115) The The main railroad line paralleled generally the route of the highway and consisted of a single-track system with numerous bridges and tunnels that could be easily and quickly blocked when necessary. 125) The Thirty-sixth Army, consisting of 6 line-combat infantry divisions and 2 armored divisions, was scheduled to move into Kujukuri-hama and be in position, fully equipped, by January 1946.


No Control Definition, Nerve Agent Novichok, Are Beluga Whales Endangered, Munds Park Events, Lil Skies Songs, George Kennedy Related To Jfk, Megan's Law Ohio, The Singing Ringing Tree - Youtube, Cooking Up Something Good Mac Demarco, Air Crash Investigation S20e06, Electrocution First Aid, Fade Lyrics, Second Hand Yarn, Tubular Bells Introducing Instruments, Shopping Near Me Now, Post Office Bungalow Cairns, When You Tell Me That You Love Me (karaoke), Rock N Roll Lyrics, Pacman Ghosts, Should I Buy Lvmh Stock, You're So Cool / Main Title, I Can Be Your Sugar Remix, Pac-man Games Youtube, Traffic Police E Services, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind Netflix, Turn It Loose Country Song, Timberwolves Jersey History, Battle Of Pasir Panjang, Nicole Meyer Facebook,