No-man’s-land was kept illuminated all night long by the use of starshells and parachute flares. The Americans were on constant guard against night infantry attacks, by small parties of stealthy infiltrators or by company-sized bayonet charges, with the attackers shouting “Nippon Banzai!” Japanese soldiers were known to wear captured American helmets and uniforms and to walk nonchalantly into the American lines, where they would suddenly open fire. On Okinawa, the enemy could be coming from any direction, at any time. From the Japanese lines, of course—but they could also approach from the
...more
