WWII's Largest Banzai Charge

 Second World War 1939-1945, military, historical layer / disappeared object

 Upload a photo

In this area, roughly 3000 remaining Japanese troops mounted a final Banzai Charge against steadily advancing American forces. The 103rd Div. bore the brunt of the charge across their front lines which quickly were overrun and consumed with some of the most savage hand to hand fighting seen in the war. Mornings light revealed the field and beaches covered in dead Japanese soilders, some stacked 5-10 high as they were cut down by machine gun fire trying to climb over fallen comrades. The island was secured shortly thereafter, but the US Troops had to then deal with the horror of watching the majority of native islanders, who had been brainwashed with propaganda to believe only rape and torture awaited them at the hands of Americans, throw themselves off the cliffs at the north end of the island. Most were women and small children.