RADIO TOKYO HAS BEGUN A PROPAGANDA BROADCAST IN ENGLISH, AIMED AT THE AMERICAN TROOPS.
20,000 OKINAWANS ARE CONSCRIPTED TO FIGHT IN THE JAPANESE ARMY.
16 YEAR OLD SCHOOLGIRL IS MADE A NURSE IN AN UNDERGROUND HOSPITAL: "WOUNDED SOLDIERS ARE BEING CARRIED IN, IN LARGE NUMBERS; SOME DON'T HAVE LIMBS, SOME DON'T HAVE FACES; YOUNG MEN IN THEIR 20s AND 30s AND SCREAMING LIKE BABIES, THOUSANDS OF THEM."
THE OVER-WHELMING POWER OF THE AMERICANS BEGINS TO FORCE ITS WAY THROUGH THE JAPANESE DEFENSES.
THEN ON MAY 8TH 1945 THE NEWS IS ANNOUNCED THAT GERMANY HAS SURRENDERED TO THE ALLIES.
JAPANESE RANKING OFFICER: "WE NOW REALIZE WE ARE DOOMED. IT IS NONSENSE TO CONTINUE THE WAR, AFTER OUR ONLY REAL ALLIE HAS COLLAPSED. OUR LEADERS GOT US INVOLVED IN THIS WAR TO RESERVE THEIR OWN POWER. WHO CANNOT NOW DISPARE KNOWING THAT OUR SOLDIERS ARE DYING FOR THE SAKE OF SUCH PEOPLE."
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE WAR THOUSANDS OF JAPANESE SOLDIERS SURRENDER.
AS THE AMERICANS ELIMINATE THE LAST POCKETS OF RESISTANCE, THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO SHELTER IN CAVES ARE TRAPPED IN AN INFERNO OF EXPLOSIVES AND NAP-BOMBS. WHEN THE SURVIVORS EMERGE THEY ARE TERRIFIED, STARVING, AND CLOSE TO DEATH.
KIKI KOMIAVI IS ONE OF THE LAST TO COME OUT: "THERE WAS A RAIN OF BULLETS. THE AMERICANS MUST HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE WITH THE SOLDIERS. THREE OF MY FAMILY WERE KILLED INSTANTLY, THEIR BODIES FELL ON TOP OF ME; THEN THE FIRING STOPPED. THE AMERICANS MUST HAVE NOTICED THEY WERE SHOOTING GIRLS. MY 10 CLASS-MATES WERE ALL DEAD. I WILL NEVER FORGET."
OVER 20,000 AMERICANS AND MORE THAN 200,000 JAPANESE HAVE BEEN KILLED, INCLUDING A QUARTER OF THE ISLAND'S POPULATION.
IT IS THE BLOODIEST BATTLE OF THE PACIFIC WAR.
THE ONLY TARGET LEFT IS JAPAN ITSELF.
..........
TO BE CONTINUED
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