On May 8th the world commemorated the 75th anniversary of the surrender of all armed forces of Nazi Germany, bringing to an end the fighting in the European Theatre. But for American GIs who had fought from the beaches of Normandy to Berlin’s doorstep, the celebrating was muted by the prospect that they would soon be transferred to the Pacific theatre. It was a very real fear, for the Japanese were tenaciously defending every inch of their shrinking perimeter. They closely followed news of the savage battle for Okinawa, which raged from April 1st to June 21st – a month and a half after the German surrender.
Yet to come was the Invasion of the Japanese homeland which, it was estimated, would cost 1 million Allied casualties – the toll in Japanese civilian lives would be multiples of that figure.
The expected shift to the Pacific theatre was unnerving in another way – the Japanese soldier, sailor or airman was a totally different opponent from the German. Following orders, they fought to the death, refusing to surrender in even the most hopeless situations. Fighting across the Pacific, from Australia to Okinawa, produced very few Japanese prisoners. They were fanatical and feared bringing disgrace to their family.
On the home front, the still defiant military leaders were training civilians – old men, women and children to resist battle hardened Allied troops with sticks and stones. It would take the dawning of the Nuclear Age, with the dropping of the only 2 nuclear weapons to ever be employed in combat, to end the deadliest, most savage, war in human history. Some depict that action as a “war crime”. In fact, it was the most humanitarian act of the war.
My Father served with the 350 Inf Bn/88th Inf Div/5th Army in Italy. When the Nazis finally surrendered, the Blue Devils were located near the Brenner Pass and had just linked-up with another Army unit which had just pushed through the Alps from Austria. In the weeks that followed, they were guarding German POWs when the call went out for volunteers to transfer to the Pacific campaign. Dad didn’t want to spend monotonous months collecting and guarding Germans so he decided to volunteer. He, along with many others, were formed into a separate replacement group and began training while awaiting coordination and transportation. Luckily for them, by the time transport was secured the bomb was dropped and the Japs surrendered in August. Since they were ready to sail, their boat just changed destinations and they were home by September 1945. This was one of the few times that volunteering turned out to be a good thing. As a postscript, I was born in June 1946. Semper Fi!!!
Hey M/Sgt Edd. Your fathers story sounds similar to mine, He was a Medic in France and Germany and was working in a POW hospital when the war in Europe ended. Was ordered to the Pacific but the war ended and they were turned around and headed home. Harry 1371. SEMPER FI!