'Aussie Rick'’s Comments (group member since Jun 12, 2009)

'Aussie Rick'’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

"Hell to Pay: Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947" - A very frank and cynical appraisal of the use of Kamikaze attacks against American forces:

"The Japanese devised a simple method for the immediate organization of fully equipped and completely staffed Special Attack formations - the mass conversion of existing training units to the new mission by decree. At least some Japanese flight instructors, not sufficiently infused with the bushido spirt, were in despair over the lack of training being given to the novice kamikaze pilots, but airmen such as Captain Inoguchi Rikibei, commanding the 10th Air Fleet's 'special attack' pilot training, enthusiastically enforced the new orders. Said Inoguchi, 'Inasmuch as the kamikaze attacks were the last means of any favorable results in the war and the only chance for breaking down American resistance a little, we did not care how many planes were lost. Poor planes and poor pilots were used, and there was no ceiling on the number of either available for use'."

Kamikaze Attacks Caught on Film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkOW1...

Jerome wrote: "A November release:

by Alan Allport
Description:
By 1942, Churchill faced a vastly ..."

This one will be on my to-buy list!

Marc wrote: "So, finished this one last night:

Nightfighter: Radar Intercept Killer

Pretty interesting book which was badly in need of..."

"A Glorious Way to Die" is a pretty decent read so I hope you enjoy it, Marc.

Looks like some folks are reading some very interesting books!

Jerome wrote: "An October release:

by Roger Moorhouse
Description:
Winston Churchill once remarked that the only threat to truly frighte..."

Should be a good account!

Darya Silman wrote: "Aussie Rick, is 'Hell to Pay' heavy on dates/units' numbers? I'm thinking of buying an audioversion of it"

No, not overly, but out of over 550 pages only 290 pages are narrative, the rest is extensive appendices and notes.

"Hell to Pay: Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947" - The start of chapter 6 - The Decision:

"The Japanese defenders of Okinawa were inflicting casualties on U.S. combat units at a rate that was both faster and higher than in previous campaigns. The ratios of only 4.6 and 5 Japanese casualties (usually deaths) for every 1 American battle casualty during recent fighting on Leyte and Luzon respectively were far closer than what had been experienced during early south-west Pacific operations. By Okinawa the ratio had shrunk to 2 to 1 - and an even more appalling 1.25 to 1 during the brutal fighting that had finally spluttered to an end on Iwo Jima.

How did the terribly costly Okinawa and Iwo Jima campaigns affect the thinking of President Truman and senior members of his administration. First, it is important to understand that all these men had long been in positions that enabled them to absorb ongoing military intelligence and were deeply involved in the never-ending struggle to get enough American men into the war. Moreover, the long-expected 'casualty surge' that they had all known was coming finally arrived in the summer of 1944 with D-Day in France and the invasion of the Mariana Islands in the Pacific. Of America's roughly 1,250,000 combat and combat-related casualties in World War II, nearly 1 million of this number would be suffered from June 1944 to June 1945, a degree of losses that people today would understandably find astounding."

Hell to Pay: Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947 by D.M. Giangreco

Sad news, thanks for posting that link, Liz!

You could also check out these two books by Robert Forczyk:


Case White: The Invasion of Poland 1939 by Robert Forczyk

Case Red: The Collapse of France by Robert Forczyk

Prit Buttar never seems to stop! Another interesting book to keep an eye-out for :)

Pierce wrote: "Reading James Scott's Black Snow currently for the monthly theme read. About half way through and has some interesting stuff about the earlier air war leading up to "terror bombing". Really tough s..."

I have a copy of that book that I am keen to read. I have enjoyed all his previous books!

"Hell to Pay: Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947" - In one of the early chapters the author discusses the role the British Commonwealth and their forces would play in the planned invasion of Japan:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonw....

https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...

Paul wrote: "I got Max Hastings' "Retribution" audiobook from my library, but it's a 28-hour audiobook on a 14-day loan, so I might not finish it before I have to return it.

[bookcover:Retribution: The Battle ..."

Excellent choice Paul. I do hope you manage to finish it; it will be worth it!

Claira.Rice wrote: "Has anyone read “With the Old Breed” by E.B. Sledge? I’m planning on reading it for February. I’m super excited, one of my 2025 goals was to read more about this theatre as I usually read about the..."

It's an excellent book and I don't think you will be disappointed if you decide to read it. It's one of my favourite first-hand accounts covering the Pacific theatre.

Some excellent books being mentioned for this month's theme read!

Two very interesting books MR9!

Liz V. wrote: "Due in May, “Recording Evil”, a documentary based on transcripts of Nazis held as POWs, talkind about their feelings and roles in the Holocaust.
https://variety.com/2025/film/global/......"

Thanks for that bit of news Liz, should be an interesting documentary!

I'm thinking of reading "Hell to Pay: Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947" for this month's theme read.

Hell to Pay: Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947 by D.M. Giangreco

Hi folks, the first theme read for 2025 is up and ready to go - the Pacific theatre in 1945:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The February 2025 theme read is any book or books of your choice that covers the Pacific Theatre during 1945 (land, air or sea).