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World War II
Episode160

October 13, 2025

Breaking the Backbone of Shuri

Breaking the Backbone of Shuri
38:14
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By May 1945, Okinawa had become a war of exhaustion. The island's southern ridges, scarred by months of bombardment, hid Japan's last and strongest defensive line. When the Tenth Army resumed its drive on 11 May, the Marines faced terrain as deadly as any in the Pacific. To the east, the 1st Marine Division attacked into Wana Draw, a maze of ravines and caves leading toward Shuri Castle. A few miles west, the 6th Marine Division struck at Sugar Loaf Hill, a small rise commanding the road to Naha. For seven days, the two divisions clawed forward through mud, rain, and fire. By 18 May, both Wana and Sugar Loaf lay in Marine hands. The victory cracked the Shuri Line and forced the enemy's retreat.

References

  1. Alexander, Joseph H. The Final Campaign: Marines in the Victory on Okinawa. Washington, DC: History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1994.
  2. Appleman, Roy E., James M. Burns, Russell A. Gugeler, and John Stevens. Okinawa: The Last Battle. Washington, DC: Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 1948. Reprint, Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 2000.
  3. Astor, Gerald. Operation Iceberg: The Invasion and Conquest of Okinawa in World War II—An Oral History. New York: Donald I. Fine, 1995.
  4. Carleton, Phillips D. The Conquest of Okinawa: An Account of the Sixth Marine Division. Washington, DC: Historical Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1946.
  5. David, Saul. Crucible of Hell: The Heroism and Tragedy of Okinawa, 1945. New York: Hachette Books, 2020.
  6. Frank, Benis M., and Henry I. Shaw Jr. Victory and Occupation: History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Volume V. Washington, DC: Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1968.
  7. Gavitt, James S. The Okinawa Campaign: A Case Study. Carlisle Barracks, PA: U.S. Army War College, 1991.
  8. Nash, Douglas E., Sr. Battle of Okinawa: III MEF Staff Ride—Battle Book. Quantico, VA: History Division, U.S. Marine Corps, 2015.
  9. Nichols, Charles S., Jr., and Henry I. Shaw Jr. Okinawa: Victory in the Pacific. Washington, DC: Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1955.
  10. Sledge, Eugene B. With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1981.
  11. Sloan, Bill. The Ultimate Battle: Okinawa 1945—The Last Epic Struggle of World War II. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007.
  12. Spurr, Russell. A Glorious Way to Die: The Kamikaze Mission of the Battleship Yamato, April 1945. New York: Newmarket Press, 1981. (Alt. reissue: New York: William Morrow Paperbacks, 2010.)
  13. Stockman, James R. The First Marine Division on Okinawa, 1 April–30 June 1945. Washington, DC: Historical Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1946.
  14. Stockman, James R. The Sixth Marine Division. Washington, DC: Historical Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1946.
  15. Walton, Rodney Earl. Big Guns, Brave Men: Mobile Artillery Observers and the Battle for Okinawa. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2013.
  16. Wheelan, Joseph. 2020. Bloody Okinawa: The Last Great Battle of World War II. Hachette Books.

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