The Marines on Okinawa:Sugar Loaf Hill, and Beyond--Okinawa Part 3 with Jon Parshall - Episode 420

[@adamstrange7884]

John's shirt saved 3 destroyers from hits by kamikazes!

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Now that’s funny

[@TheBruceGday]

My grandfather-in-law was at Okinawa with the 1st Marine Division. It was his last campaign after surviving Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, and Peleliu. Also the battle of Pavuvu vs. rats , land crabs, and rotten coconuts. He WAS one of those veterans who was with the division all along from pre-war, 1940. By Okinawa he was a sergeant with mortars. Sgt. Ken Malick, 7th Marines, 2nd Battalion, Fox Company. I was very glad to be able to sit down with him and interview him, gathering his stories prior to his passing 17 years ago.

[@chriscollins1525]

😊😊

[@richardmardis2492]

It’s admirable how much you care for the Japanese soldiers- your humanity is showing 🫡

[@albundy8139]

I'm having a really cruddy week so far, so I appreciate getting to escape a little bit with the fantastic storytelling that you guys provide, thank you gentlemen.

[@tacitdionysus3220]

Love all the work from all of you. Looking forward to Jon's new book. It's interesting how things changed so much as a result of that year. In Australia, a lasting legacy was the construction of hundreds of airfields ,and expanding the role of most that already existed. Some of these slipped back into green fields, but many formed the basis of numerous city and town airports still providing air services today. So a big thanks, particularly to the USAAF and the RAAF for creating so many pieces of infrastructure that still 'fly' today. And it virtually all happened in that year, before the centre of attention moved on.

[@flparkermdpc]

As we crawl closer to the end of this war history narrative, I am feeling some of that fatigue that Sledge wrote about in the first person. I don't know how they did it because there isn't a way to develop a strategy or plan to cope with an unbelievable situation, one that the imagination can't even conceive.

[@hurch1915]

My reason for looking forward to Tuesday mornings!

[@MilitarySummaryChannel2024]

*I’ve seen people return from war, but they never truly escape it. They carry the pain, the loss, and the unseen scars, making me realize that peace is something we must cherish every single day.*

[@jerrywertelecky9543]

Awesome, guys, thanks for the whole series. I watched almost every one of them. That's the sustainability of a Marine veteran.

[@FlightSimVRDad]

I have been waiting for this episode for some time now. I was stationed at Zukeran later Camp Foster in 79-80 in the Marines. We used to explore the caves south of us mainly Cactus and Kakazu knowing the ground we crawled around in and on was earned the hardest way possible. I read Sledge's book and cried. I saw the Shinto parades pass by our barracks and knew why. Thank you so much for this episode and for this entire series. Keep up the good work gentlemen and Semper Fi! One suggestion is to touch on the role China Marines played during WW2. Thanks again... Mike

[@anthonybaldry9611]

A thought for you as you mainly cover the American side of the war . A segment on the 9 Australian division would help round out the allied side of the Pacific war. The 9 was considered one the premier division of all allied armies in world war 2 . The 9 was responsible for pulling Montgomery’s chestnuts out of the fire at the second battle of el lamin . They also saved Mac’s chestnuts out of the fire at the battle of Fincharven . They are also the rats of Tobruk .

[@aussiedonaldduck2854]

You should look at earlier episodes, they actually have done a VERY good job of covering the Australian side of the war in the Pacific from Kokoda & Milne Bay to Molokai & Borneo. (Though I agree not all American Historians do) My Uncle Norm served in the 9th and was a rat at Tobruk who later served in PNG. My Dad was in signal corp in PNG & Molokai My Mum worked in military aircraft construction in Melbourne till she turned 18 in 43 and joined the WAF and served in the Quartermasters office in Brisbane.

[@RB-bd5tz]

(Canadian here.) That's fantastic. Good on 'em! Of course, the majority of "Allied" war "coverage" covers the Brits & Americans, whereas the rest of the former British Empire punched far above their weight class, and were even respected/feared by the Axis more than those two main players. I do have one honest question, because I really don't know how it worked: How was one division in so many disparate locations? Were these events just not simultaneous, and the division just moved around a lot?

[@PalleRasmussen]

@@RB-bd5tz the professional Oz units were withdrawn from the desert to defend their home country. There are some good episodes from these and also Hypothetical History on the battles on New Guinea.

[@danielsummey4144]

Appalachian here. I rode out Helene and the resulting internet and power outages by listening to like 4 days worth of this podcast that I had downloaded. And the Shattered Sword audiobook.

[@dummre83]

Thanks guys. Another fantastic episode. You three are a hell of a team. John, I’ll be preordering your book, if that’s possible.

[@ziggle314]

Signed up for Jon's book! I am excited to dig in.

[@theeducatedgrunt2087]

I enjoy you guys with my morning coffee, your like meeting my vet buddies for coffee in the Morning before i moved...

[@anthonycorona9435]

Thank you guys for another great episode. I read With The Old Breed after watching The Pacific. Definitely my favorite book even though it can be tough to read.

[@zardoz999]

I subscribed, Brother Jon. Early fan of y'all

[@BernardMann-nf1ks]

Thank you my brothers brutal

[@BernardMann-nf1ks]

Ww2 pacific it is what it is. The war Japan bought for itself

[@douglaskillock3537]

Another very informative if grim episode. Thank you all involved in the production

[@kennethwilliams5668]

I just recently found this channel I've always been a history buff and enjoy the very detailed story telling from you guys

[@Chevelle602]

Great episode gents. Probably one of my favorites.

[@bombslayer7305]

My dad B-24 crew chief had several books about WW2 on his book shelf and I read them all several times. When he passed I got them. I’m sure that this will be a great addition to my books.

[@michaelreininger8253]

Keep it up excellent work

[@richardmardis2492]

Florida- I got a sister, uncles, aunts, in-laws, cousins… All living there, scattered all over the state- all I do is worry every hurricane season 😵‍💫

[@kylecarmichael5890]

That campaign was truly hell on earth.

[@dusting1391]

Signed up for the email list for Jon's book, I'm really excited for it (and all the MAPS). Thanks again to all of you for the effort and detail you put into this podcast, it illustrates both the big picture and the human experience together in a way that few books manage to achieve.

[@v.mwilliams1101]

Thanks!

[@jeffreybaker4399]

Hearing of Choe (?) and his "leadership from below" caused me to look up my "favorite" equivalent scoundrel. Tsuji Masanobu shows up at Nomonhan (Khalkhin Gol} as a major, on the war planning staff before Pearl Harbor, and Guadualcanal as a colonel and bloody calamity inevitably ensued in each case. After causing about as much havoc as possible, sending many to their deaths, he not only survives the war, but ends up in the Japanese Diet! Have to wonder if justice exists. Loved Bill's word picture of the LVTAs trundling out to sea to meet the barge invaders. Didn't happen, but, my, it would have been legendary!

[@bufoferrata3205]

Tsuji was loathed by many senior Japanese officers as well. He helped plan the Malaya campaign and then went on to organize the massacre of ethnic Chinese in the Singapore area. He is alleged to have eaten the liver of a downed Allied pilot. Historian John Toland likened him to the Moriarty of the Asia-Pacific theater, amplififying the cruelty and brutality wherever he turned up. Tsuji disappeared on a diplomatic trip to Indochina in the early 60's. Some conspiracy minded types have claimed he joined the North Vietnamese Communists and helped plan the Tet Offensive. Others believe he was murdered in retribution for his many crimes by some local group he had victimized during the war. We can only hope he reaped a fraction of the suffering he had sown.

[@jeffreybaker4399]

@@bufoferrata3205 Interesting. Even worse than I recalled.

[@fish509b]

Considering Cho's history, it is remarkable that he was trusted to be a truck drive, let alone 2nd in command of the 32ns Army. That is definitely an indication of the political strength of the Japanese Army General Staff.

[@markfrumkin3230]

Powerful sad, thank you for your knowledge.

[@christopherj.osheav5807]

50° 27' 0.0036'' N and 30° 31' 23.9988'' E DAY 979 Gents, Well done. Another terrific, informative, and entertaining episode. Collectively, you've got a real knack for bringing history alive. Thank you. V/r - IB

[@therampanthamster]

Looking forward to this one. And i've subbed to John's mailing list, hope that goes well!

[@billechols7136]

Great show gentlemen.

[@3nheaven]

Great job guys. That was one bad situation after another.

[@salonicah]

Greetings from Honiara, Solomon Islands

[@johngrose3111]

Good work, thank you 👍😊

[@stuweiss-zi9rc]

With the Old Breed is a fantastic book, and a “Must Read.” EB Sledge was an amazing observer of hellish combat, and the reactions of ordinary people to extraordinary situations. “The Pacific” captures at least some of the hellscape, but I have a hard time imagining being in such circumstances, much less functioning and surviving. I like how his son Henry says that his father wanted to be identified as a scientist (I’m a biologist and read EB Sledge’s papers on nematodes out of curiosity), maybe that is one way to compartmentalize and survive.

[@hans_von_twitchy1014]

Re the attack on Sugarloaf with the other two Japanese mounds shredding the marines with flank fire. In situations where the enemy has mutual support from nearby locations, I've often wondered why the goodies never attacked under smoke cover. Didn't the US make enough smoke rounds? Or some other reason?

[@rogaldorn1965]

I'm not an expert on tactics/strategy or any kind of military operations, but I would GUESS that the reasons could include; Smoke munitions being toxic to pass through Smoke being hard to control where it blows Smoke makes it just as hard to pin down the enemy You don't really need to see the attackers, when you can just hose down the smoke and hope to hit people in it. Smoke also signals to more people "Hey, there's action over here!"

[@douglasalderman9031]

Central Fl here. Milton will be spoken of next. Five generations here in southeastern Hillsborough. Road out at least 7 storms. Milton was the worst. Heart goes out to all.

[@Phoenix-ej2sh]

Sometimes the parts of war most would prefer to forget are those most in need of remembrance.

[@TheDoctorMonkey]

I would just like to urge Jon to hurry up and get that book published! Me want!

[@williampage622]

Tuesday morning now has substance.

[@ewathoughts8476]

Lived on Okinawa 1960 through 1966. The US Army had a Last Battle Museum at Camp Sukiran . In the museum was a large room with a relief map table of Okinawa. The whole thing was studded with small light bulbs that would light up in sequence to a hour long recorded narrative of the battle. We would watch the presentation and take notes, and then go find the positions on the weekend. We were able to bring many artifacts back to the museum after documenting the finds location. One of the finds were the Cave of 300 that we found basically untouched after the Marines had sealed the cave entrances with about 300 still live Japanese soldiers who mostly committed suicide sometime after the caves entrances were sealed. Our group also found the 150 mm artillery rifle that was in a steel door closed tunnel on Motubu Peninsula. That piece only stopped firing because they ran out of ammo, and was found in operational condition.

[@billsmith5593]

Thanks!

[@billsmith5593]

Just wanted to add my father was an army physician on Okinawa . He was called off his transport on the 30 th day then on the front for 45 days. He only had two comments during his long life. First one was a young marine walked up to him and said " Doc my guys are finished we got to get them off the line they are done". He immediately ordered it. The second was that the marine airfield never stopped their action. Planes didn't take up wheels but just landed took ordinance and took off and returned. Their objectives were that close they didn't have time to get their wheels up. I suspect they actually did it to control their air speed but it wa like a factory. He survived and was assigned Manila after the atomic bomb to establish a hospital there. He lived until 2018

[@williampage622]

The really scary part of the rain is it covers up all sounds of the enemy.

[@davidbrian2570]

Good morning from SC!

[@wrightsublette1701]

John : done :)

[@stuweiss-zi9rc]

Mud talk reminds me of Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle” where the scientist developed Ice9 at the “request” of a Marine general for a way to get rid of mud.

[@rrrancher1287]

I've subscribed for your book Jon. What's with the bland shirt in your picture? Not what I expected LOL!

[@patrickshanley4466]

Awesome as always guys. Went online for “1942” book, hope it’s as good as SHATTERED SWORD .

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

Yahara's book is well worth the read time, he was quite a smart man, too bad for them, good for us that Usigima was the only one confident in his plans, Cho was a different story

[@jee316ou812]

its sad to see the down votes for these history lessons, and that is the way I view it. Reguardless of the side who fought this war. It is the responsibility of future generations to "Never Forget". The best quote that I can think of is from George Santayana "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." I also want to say rest easy to the hero's of both sides may they rest in peace and I will never forget and have taught my children and have started teaching my grand children the costs of war. Keep up the great work gentlemen we must never forget the lessons these men sacrificed everything for.

[@11bravocrunchie22]

3:57 I was at Camp Shelby for Katrina, living in the barracks near the PX. It was not a fun time.

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

I was in NOLA during Katrina. Not a fun time down there either. It was a nightmare everywhere.

[@miamijules2149]

@@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWarI’ve heard some stories from NOLA after Katrina that would make your skin crawl. You guys got all kinds of craziness running around down there. Then again, I’m in Miami so we know all about it.

[@richardmardis2492]

In Arizona we get monsoons- but not like the ones we got in the Philippines🤣 when I was a kid. Yeah, I can’t handle a little bit of humidity anymore 😂

[@joebombero1]

I retired to the Philippines from Texas. I don't know why anyone is complaining, it's never hot here.

[@richardmardis2492]

@@joebombero1 True desert rat👍🤣🫡 Yeah, I was in the Philippines at the age of 4, and then at Fort Hood in my early 20s- I’ve been doing everything you do, but in reverse 🤣

[@jasonross1967]

Email added, although Jon, The picture is in a nice purple shirt but I was hoping for the Hawaiian shirt with the requisite wallpaper background.

[@johnmarlin4661]

What a stomach churning video blog guys Bravo Zulu ...

[@chuckhillier4153]

Uncommon value is a common virtue of each episode.

[@kemarisite]

1:38:01 "stabbed the napalm drums with knives", at my Navy base hazardous waste facility we have non sparking bronze tools, more like a pick, for puncturing steel drums.

[@lapaprofundous3788]

Great job the 3 of you -- many thanks -- please keep up the good work! I guess I must be missing somthing in the discussion, but if the cave system was so intricate and interconnected... why didn't the men fight within the cave system itself? Sure, it would be a terrible fight....but fighting on top didn't seem to be going much better.... If the cave system is the enemy's sanctuary, then at every opportunity -- rather than closing the entrances -- shouldn't we have tried to keep them open, and enter the cave system to open a new front underground -- with pistols and shotguns, if necessary...? Please forgive the pun, but did our men consider fighting underground to be beneath them? By the time Vietnam came around, our men didn't seem to have that reservation...

[@harrygerla6085]

Not to beat a dead horse, but the Buckner's decision not to launch an end run and land at Minatoga on the southern end of the island was a major mistake. As historian John McManus notes, the prescient Colonel Yahara deeply feared such a move. As for that ship having sailed when the 2nd Marine division returned to Saipan, General Vandergrift promised that the redeployment of that division "could be underway in six hours."

[@ph89787]

I do wonder if Ushijima kept quiet in the hopes that Cho would get himself killed.

[@radricster]

Nice to see one channel on this platform publishing an episode 420 that doesn't feature participants consuming the devil's lettuce. 😉

[@brushhogg1]

The whole thing evolved into the Passchendale times 10 with the suffering of the individual troops incalculable...

[@ph89787]

Adding onto that, didn't Cho's plan play into the Army, Marines and, by extension, the Navy's strength of overwhelming firepower?

[@markpaul-ym5wg]

Something to keep in mind about the night action japanese.They would crawl very slowly toward the U.S. lines looking for a weak spot.Some of them could speak English.

[@CutGlassMan-CTI]

My son served on Okinawa. It would rain so hard breathing was a challenge. My son would have to lower his face and shield his mouth to make a breathing space.

[@petefinnegan3873]

👍

[@cenccenc946]

I apologized to my wife. Last week I got the wrong tile, after spending 2 hours and 21 minutes driving all the way across town. I am now returning the tile, and that should only take 2 hours and 6 minutes. 😆

[@rangermac1469]

According to the citation, etc. Bair took an M1919, .30 cal. machine gun - normally tripod-mounted - and draped it over his wounded arm. Not a BAR or Thompson - but a freaking tripod-mounted machine gun. Just ... damn.

[@kemarisite]

52:31 "today's a good day", last week would have been even better. Sigh.

[@randallcarpenter5313]

My parents live in Ada and I have visited Mr. Hague's grave.

[@denniscahill9683]

Guys -- the WAR is sad att this point. My Dad was on Okinawa and gave me about three sentences bbefore he died. Reading about the war in 1945 -- ETO and Pacific -- are beyond winning. This is ALL sad.

[@ronbyers9912]

Wasn't Eugene Sledge a professor of biology at some university in the south after the war?

[@stuweiss-zi9rc]

Yes, I looked him up on Google Scholar and read some of his work on nematodes. His son Henry says he wanted to be identified as a scientist, even after “With the Old Breed” was published.

[@chrisschmalhofer4348]

Didn’t Patton say “ no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor, dumb bastard die for his country. “? These seem like wise words, considering the inflexible strategy of the Japanese.

[@kets4443]

What are you going to do after this, it feels like it has come so quickly!

[@rinkevichjm]

Bull Halsey at his finest in attracting Hurricanes just like Florida.

[@markkelly2197]

Its seems like the Pacific War is exponentially increasing in ferocity and violence as it nears its end. Did the same occur in Europe?

[@babychuma1]

I believe that many of the "non combat" injuries were concussion. They didn't know what the pounding was doing to them.

[@alganhar1]

I have had the 'pleasure' of experiencing the monsoon. I can confirm it sucks. We at least were housed in huts, admittedly stilted huts over a lagoon, but still huts. Our toilets were literally a hole cut into the floor over the lagoon, but I digress. Even then we could not keep clothing or gear dry. If you are an infantry soldier in a hole in the ground, or a tent (which in monsoon rain is is barely better than a hole), its not happening. At all. About the only saving grace is that places that suffer from the Monsoon tend to be fairly warm, so you are probably not going to die of hypothermia! So at least you do not have that to add to the pure suck you are experiencing! Its pure suck.... and that's without a bunch of unpleasant guys shooting and throwing various grades of explosives at you! That takes it to a level of suckiness I can barely comprehend! Yes, I used the word suck a lot.... Kind of apt as the monsoon tends to leave a lot of the infantry soldiers old friend mud lying around. Given the choice I would rather be in Antarctica when the Katabatic howls out of the interior than be in a hole in the ground during the monsoon. At least I would be able to keep dry!

[@devjaxvid]

I must have missed or forgotten, what prevented the US from taking out the Japanese Arty?

[@kemarisite]

In the previous episode, it was mentioned that some of these Japanese artillery guns were in caves with a choice of several firing positions nearby. They could roll the gun to a position, fire a few shells, and retreat back within the cave to avoid the counter battery fire.

[@devjaxvid]

@@kemarisite oh yes that makes perfect sense, thanks

[@pittsburghwill]

Whats commonly overlooked is this fact Okinawa was the most bloodiest battle of the offensive operations undertaken by the United States in the pacific theater of WW2

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Pretty sure our 4 videos on the subject cover that in depth.

[@ThePlebicide]

Unless I'm dumb, I don't see a link to Jon's Website?

[@davidkiefer6553]

It’s in the description. I get it, KZbin doesn’t make it easy.

[@ThePlebicide]

@@davidkiefer6553 Thanks, I'm pretty sure that wasn't there when I commented.

[@miamijules2149]

It’s there

[@geoffreyback2971]

Would appreciate an episode on how religious worldviews affected the attitudes of both sides in the Pacific theater

[@thomasbernecky2078]

I wonder how long it was before the mud turned the white clothing Khaki colored?

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Good point

[@davidlavigne207]

All the Japanese had to do was take a look at our American Civil War. Look at General Grant at Ft. Donelson, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, and Petersburg, which were all similar sieges. Also look at General Sherman's Atlanta campaign as well as his march to the sea. These would have informed them as to the futility of hoping that causing the US such casualties would have caused us to give up was a viable strategy. After the deception at Pearl Harbor there was no real chance of this once the American people were united in their ultimate resistance to the Japanese demands. This is something that many opponents underestimate about American resolve. They think that we have never went through such difficulties. This is a deadly mistake.

[@bssn9469]

Is the Okinawa campaign where Sledge talks about gold teeth?

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Peleliu

[@konekillerking]

Foreshadowing: the next storm got central Florida.

[@scottgiles7546]

I don't know if I'll be able to take the next episode at this rate. Next Tuesday will be the election and even that insanity will be nothing compared to this.

[@mitchm4992]

When Capt. Toti said that "kilo" was him being stuck in modern times, I realized that I don't know what it used to be. Anyone know?

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

King

[@gregcollins7602]

Jon I added my email as soon as you mentioned it.

[@riftraft2015]

I always kinda felt Rupertus was having heart trouble long before he died. Some of his critical decisions, or lack of, clearly shows he was NOT thinking clearly. And I know from experience, a blockage will certainly do that. It's like, you know somethings just not quite right, but you dont know WHY. I had that issue for over 5 years before they found it. In cooler weather I was fine. In 95* and up, I was in a haze. I couldnt think clearly, couldnt concentrate. Couldnt remember things. Not making excuses for Rupertus either way, but I honestly believe he had an legit artery blockage for a long time. That stuff just dont happen overnite. Stress and excess heat set it off. Think about that a minute. I think some historians possibly gave him a pretty bad wrap while totally forgetting he died a couple month later of a heart attack. While they didnt have the technology to identify the problem back then. We certainly know now what symptoms a blockage causes now. And it does make sense. Kinda seems like Halseys skin disorder was caused by stress also.

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

He may very well have been.

[@orlandofurioso7958]

And elsewhere

[@Michaelcaba]

Green shirt and green wall paper match again; all is well with the world. How about a green window blind?

[@richardmardis2492]

Pacific Theater, never had pretty liberated girls kissing the GIs- just brutal, vulgar, ugly war…

[@aussiedonaldduck2854]

Australia was never liberated of course. But plenty of GI's had pretty Aussie girls on their arms. 😡 😅😂

[@richardmardis2492]

@@aussiedonaldduck2854 I stand corrected 🤣🤣🫡

[@joeyartk]

Whats the big deal with Japanese drafting their own citizens to fight? The US did the same thing. Okinawans were and are still Japanese citizens. Even Koreans were at that time Japanese citizens since 1910. I dont understand the point you are trying to make.

[@joeyartk]

Since we knew the Japanese plan was to force negotiations and we didn't want to suffer the casualties an invasion of Japan would produce, why didn't we attempt negotiating before resorting to war crimes?

[@kennethwilliams5668]

I just recently found this channel I've always been a history buff and enjoy the very detailed story telling from you guys

[@peterlanyon956]

Thanks!

[@CdT-fb1pt]

Thanks!