Okinawa 1945: The Last Battle

Osprey Campaign #96

by Gordon L. Rottman, Howard Gerrard (Illustrator)

By the spring of 1945 the Allies were sweeping all before them in the Pacific War against Japan, and a series of victories had reclaimed many of the islands and territories seized by the Imperial Japanese forces in the early months of the war. The dark days of humiliating defeat were far behind the unstoppable Allied juggernaut - victory was now assured. The question was where the last battle would be fought. That place was the island of Okinawa. This book details the struggle for the island as US Marines and Army units battled determined Japanese defenders in the last battle of World War II (1939-1945).

Genres: History, Military History, World War II, Nonfiction, War

96 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2002

About the author

Gordon L. Rottman served for 26 years in the US Army in Special Forces, airborne infantry, long-range reconnaissance patrol, and military intelligence assignments in the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve. He has worked as a Special Operations Forces scenario writer for 14 years at the Army's Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana where he developed training exercises for Special Forces.
Gordon began writing military history books in 1984 and is currently a full-time author. He has written 50 books for Osprey. He is married with four children and lives in Cypress, Texas.

Reviews

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author gives some details and insights. He also gives recommendations on further reading and I think it helpful. This book supplements a great deal to my previous readings concerning Okinawa campaign. Mind that some minor careless mistakes do exist in this book.
I like this book in particular about the insights on the key decision makers on both sides and that helps me with some issues I find mysterious. For example, why did Isamu Cho fervently advocate major counterattacks, two times in a roll after the Hagushi Landing, knowing very well the great consequences unfavorable to the IJA 32nd Army, when he was the one who helped with the development of defensive strategy and keenly defended this strategy before the Hagushi Landing.