The Ghosts of Okinawa

Miliary History Quarterly:Volume 9, #4, 1997.

240,000 civilians were killed in the battle. 40,000 American troops were either killed or wounded, while there were 100,000 Japanese casualties. The Japanese propaganda worked so well that the civilians were afraid they would be killed by the Americans and many chose to jump from the cliffs and commit suicide. Many of the civilians retreated to caves to try to hide but often died there.

There is a really good Cities of the Underground show about all the tunnels on the island where the civilians and the soldiers tried to hide.



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