The Battle of Okinawa

The story

The Americans are swiftly closing on Okinawa, an island just south of the Japanese mainland. The Imperial command sends top generals and several army divisions to defend it at all costs. The mission quickly degenerates as vital resources and troops are diverted to other islands. After a civilian evacuation ends in tragedy most of non-combatants are forced to remain on the island. Many convert to soldier status. Tokyo sends mixed messages that squander time and resources, as when they order the defenders to build an airstrip for aircraft that never come. The truth soon becomes obvious: the high command decides that the island cannot be held and effectively abandons the Okinawan defenders. When the Americans land many troops are deployed in the wrong places. As the slaughter mounts, a suicidal attitude takes hold. Okinawa becomes a death trap, for civilian volunteers and non-combatants as well.

Cast

K Keiju KobayashiGeneral Ushijima T Tetsuro TambaLieutenant General Isamu Cho T Tatsuya NakadaiColonel Hiromichi Yahara Y Yūsuke KawazuNaomichi Jin I Ichirō NakataniChief of Staff Ueno R Ryō IkebeRear Admiral Ota S Shigeru KōyamaAkira Shimada K Kunie TanakaBarber Higa E Eijirō TōnoYoshijirō Umezu J Jun HamamuraShuki Izumi A Akira YamanouchiShūichi Miyazaki J Jūkei FujiokaSanada

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S Shin KishidaMeguro Y Yūzō KayamaDr. Higa M Mayumi OzoraNurse Uehara W Wakako SakaiTokashiki K Kenjirō IshiyamaRikichi Andō H Hisashi IgawaKoichi Ito H Hirayoshi AonoMasao Watanabe G Gorō MutsumiYakamaru E Etsushi TakahashiYokichi Kaga H Hideyo AmamotoPrincipal Noda M Masao ImafukuPrincipal Teruya K Kenji SaharaTeacher Tamayose Y Yūsuke TakitaTeacher Nakasone Y Yoshio KatsubeTeacher Yonamine K Katsuhiko SasakiCommunications Officer Miyake T Takamaru SasakiUgaki R Ren YamamotoSergeant Omori K Kazuo SuzukiNakajima Y Yutaka NakayamaPrivate Yoshizaki C Chōtarō TōginSuwabe K Kanta MoriKimura H Hiroshi HasegawaSakaguchi M Masanobu OkiSergeant Nakamura K Kōji IwamotoSergeant Fujita I Isao HashimotoCaptain Masunaga D Daigo KusanoCaptain Okuyama Y Yasuzō OgawaCorporal Komori S Shinsuke AchiwaHokama I Isao TamagawaKamai R Ryuji KitaTorashirō Kawabe M Minori TeradaMitsuru Yoshida H Hiroaki AbeTakushiro Hattori B Ben HiuraLieutenant Nishioka Y Yukiko KomuraKakazu T Takeo ChiiOgura S Shunichi OkitaPrivate Nakama I Ippei KawashimaPrivate Izumi Y Yōko MinamiMrs Shimada S Seishirō KunoThird Squadron Commander H Haruo SuzukiSergeant Major J Jiro DaimaruNagano Officer W Wataru ŌmaeCoastal Sentry K Kiyoshi YamamotoMilitary Police Commander E Eimei EsumiRegimental District Headquarters Officer S Sachio SakaiWater Seller K Kōji MitsuiOld Man K Kamatari FujiwaraOld Man in Tomb I Imari TsujiOld Woman in Tomb Y Yutaka SadaFather in Tomb H Hiroyuki KawaseChild in Tomb M Machiko NakaMother S Shingo HiramatsuKyoto Buddhist Y Yasuo ArakiOfficer J Jun FunatoOfficer T Toyoyuki KimuraChild Soldier H Hirohisa SonodaTraining Officer N Naoko OhtaniYoung Woman M Michiyo YamazoeGirl in Trench R Ryōsuke KagawaIll Man Z Zan Fujita S Shōichi Hirose H Haruya Katō N Naoya Kusakawa M Michitarō Mizushima T Toshiko Nakano A Akira Nishikawa I Itaru Ose K Kotaro Tomita