Operation Downfall
Listen to "Operation Downfall"
Operation Downfall was the proposed invasion of mainland Japan by Allied Forces near the end of WWII. It was canceled because the atomic bombs were dropped and Japan surrendered, thereby removing the need for a military conquest. It would have been the largest amphibious invasion in history, and it would have been the first time that a foreign power had set foot on mainland Japanese soil (in the country's 2500 year history).
Operation Downfall had two parts: Operation Olympic (Nov 1945) and Operation Coronet (March 1946). Both were commanded by MacArthur and supported by Nimitz. Operation Olympic involved the I, V, IX, and XI Corps storming the beaches of Kyushu (the southern main island) and taking airbases to support Operation Coronet. Operation Coronet involved the First Army and the Eighth Army, as well as numerous British Commonwealth units, storming the beaches of Honshu near the capital city of Tokyo.
On the opposing side was Operation Ketsu Go, the Japanese defense of its main islands. Most of Japan's forces (air and ground) were focused on the island of Kyushu. Also, tens of millions of Japanese civilians (all able-bodied civilians, men and women) were trained in basic martial arts in order to repel the invasion. In addition, the Japanese government created numerous suicide units to repel the invasion.
All in all, it would have been one of the bloodiest battles in history. An estimated 1 million Americans and 10 million Japanese would have lost their lives.
For more information, read:
The Japanese Army Handbook by George Forty
The Pacific War Companion by Daniel Marston
Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine
Operation Downfall was the proposed invasion of mainland Japan by Allied Forces near the end of WWII. It was canceled because the atomic bombs were dropped and Japan surrendered, thereby removing the need for a military conquest. It would have been the largest amphibious invasion in history, and it would have been the first time that a foreign power had set foot on mainland Japanese soil (in the country's 2500 year history).
Operation Downfall had two parts: Operation Olympic (Nov 1945) and Operation Coronet (March 1946). Both were commanded by MacArthur and supported by Nimitz. Operation Olympic involved the I, V, IX, and XI Corps storming the beaches of Kyushu (the southern main island) and taking airbases to support Operation Coronet. Operation Coronet involved the First Army and the Eighth Army, as well as numerous British Commonwealth units, storming the beaches of Honshu near the capital city of Tokyo.
On the opposing side was Operation Ketsu Go, the Japanese defense of its main islands. Most of Japan's forces (air and ground) were focused on the island of Kyushu. Also, tens of millions of Japanese civilians (all able-bodied civilians, men and women) were trained in basic martial arts in order to repel the invasion. In addition, the Japanese government created numerous suicide units to repel the invasion.
All in all, it would have been one of the bloodiest battles in history. An estimated 1 million Americans and 10 million Japanese would have lost their lives.
For more information, read:
The Japanese Army Handbook by George Forty
The Pacific War Companion by Daniel Marston
Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine
posted by George Hageman at 11:02 AM
2 Comments:
I have listened to your podcast and I must say, you are certainly getting better. Tonight I jumped from Smedley Butler to Operation Downfall. The improvements were noticeable.
The Butler piece, while informative, was marred by some mis-pronunciations and at least one instance where you may have gotten a title mixed up with a name. The Empress Dowager means she was the Mother of the Emperor, Dowager being a title (Much like Queen Mother). The position of the person who leads the Marine Corps is COM man dant. I think it refers back to the position on a Naval Vessel of a Commander, which is just below an Admiral. Since a Marine is always in a secondary position while on ship, that may be its derivation.
I do find your pieces informative. However, I do wish you would not apologize for imagined shortcomings. If there is a problem, I am sure we will let you know. Just forge ahead, ala MacArthur. Don't go all Monty on us! (That is Field Marshall Montgomery, who was noted for not being all that dashing on the battlefield, no matter what he said in the war room.
Sincerely,
H. Malette Poole
Wilmington, NC
Age 57
While I find this unit on the mark, it would be tough to not point out the seminal work on the subject: Downfall by Richard B. Frank.
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