Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945 (The Pacific War Trilogy Book 3)

by Ian W. Toll

Operation DOWNFALL, as it was codenamed, aimed at conquering and pacifying Japan within eighteen months of the final defeat of Germany. An early version of the plan, developed by the JCS planning staff in Washington, was presented to FDR and Churchill in February 1945 at the Argonaut Conference on Malta. downfall consisted of two phases: an invasion of southern Kyushu in late 1945 (olympic), to be followed by an invasion of Honshu in the spring of 1946 (coronet). Each of these great amphibious assaults, especially coronet, would dwarf the previous year’s invasion of Normandy. downfall would require the combined strength of all branches of the military services and all forces within both MacArthur’s and Nimitz’s theaters, with a supporting role by British and other Allied forces. The assault on Kyushu would be handled by the veteran Sixth Army under General Krueger, veteran of the Philippines campaign.