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Old 02-03-13, 06:31 PM   #61
August
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen View Post
They gave up on those Banzai Charges after Saipan. After that, it largely became a matter of fighting to the last man, like they did on Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, etc.
Don't know where you heard that but AFAIK Banzai charges were held in all of those battles you list except Okinawa. There were several at Iwo Jima including a failed attempt to recapture Suribachi.

But for every Banzai charge there were more suicides, often in groups by Japanese soldiers who still had the means to resist. Militarily that is a waste of resources.

Quote:
This attitude, which had been intstilled in the home civilian populace, is what would have made an invasion of the Home Islands so incredibly costly, and why the atomic bombs were used.
I agree that it would have been incredibly costly in any case.
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