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cover of episode 301. Okinawa - The Typhoon of Steel

301. Okinawa - The Typhoon of Steel

2025/7/2
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Battleground

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Patrick Bishop
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Saul David
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Patrick Bishop: 大家好,欢迎收听《战场45》。今天我和索尔·大卫讨论太平洋战争中最血腥的战役——冲绳岛战役。这场战役发生在空中、陆地和海上,目的是夺取具有重要战略意义的冲绳岛,该岛位于日本以东约350英里处,美国人即将在80年前取得胜利。 Saul David: 冲绳岛战役的规模、伤亡和残酷性都达到了史诗级别。日军使用了神风特攻队和儿童士兵。战败以最高指挥官领导的切腹自杀浪潮告终。巴克纳中将在战斗中阵亡,他是这次战役的陆地总指挥。总之,这是一件令人震惊的事件。1945年4月的计划是占领冲绳,作为入侵日本的出发点。冲绳是理想的发射台,因为它有机场和天然港口。夺取冲绳的战斗注定会非常血腥。考虑到人力和物力的明显差距,日军明智地决定不与登陆部队交战。美军拥有绝对的空中优势和大量的火炮。巴克纳本可以更快地完成任务,但他缺乏经验,打法过于保守。美军士兵不得不与日军进行残酷的消耗战,用各种手段将他们从防御阵地中清除。试图迫使日军投降给美军造成了巨大的心理伤害,因为他们大多数人拒绝投降。冲绳岛的战斗环境极其恶劣,天气寒冷多雨,缺乏掩护,日军顽强抵抗。冲绳战役中,美军有三分之一的伤亡是战斗疲劳,这表明了战斗的残酷性。日军不仅征用青年男女参战,还残酷对待冲绳平民。日军欺骗冲绳人,让他们相信美军会烧杀抢掠,因此让他们杀死自己的家人。许多冲绳人在日军的胁迫下自相残杀。自我牺牲为天皇或帝国效力在日本社会和文化中非常普遍。冲绳人被视为二等公民,他们并非纯正的日本人。冲绳在19世纪末之前一直是一个独立的王国,是日本不断扩张的帝国的一部分。

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Okinawa's strategic location, 100 miles south of Kyushu, made it an ideal launching point for the planned invasion of Japan. Its airfields and natural harbor were crucial for the operation. The battle was anticipated to be extremely bloody.
  • Okinawa's proximity to Kyushu (most southerly home island of Japan)
  • Ideal launchpad for invasion of Japan
  • Airfields and natural harbor
  • Anticipated bloody battle

Shownotes Transcript

In this episode of Battleground, Saul and Patrick descend into the brutal depths of the Battle of Okinawa.

Together they examine the strategic brilliance and tragic missteps on both sides, including the immense casualties that led to the deaths of both commanding generals: Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. for the Americans and Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima for the Japanese.

They also take a look at the unprecedented surge in kamikaze attacks, a desperate and devastating tactic employed by the Japanese to repel the Allied invasion fleet.

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Producer: James Hodgson

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