WWII E160 - Breaking the Backbone of Shuri
Episode Description
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.
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References
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