[Cowperson]

The Japanese were known for their kamikaze approach to war. It wasn't just the planes that did it, all Japanese soldiers had that attitude. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the Japanese island outpost the US was forced to take, but even when it was long clear that the Japanese government was not sending further supplies, the soldiers there still held out to the point that when they finally surrendered, there were only something like 15 soldiers remaining.


You can pick pretty much any naval, land or air campaign involving the Japanese in World War II and find most of those involved fighting to the death and or committing suicide rather than surrendering . . . . casualty rates usually topped 95% to 99% for Japanese soldiers.

It wasn't just one island. It was every island. Every campaign.

In one of the last major land campaigns of the conflict, thousands of Japanese CIVILIANS committed suicide rather than surrender.

You can debate whether or not Japan could have been starved into surrendering by a naval blockade and aerial bombardment versus use of the bomb . . . . . but there was nothing in prior campaigns to that point where anyone should get any idea that the Japanese wouldn't have inflicted a bloodbath on any invaders.

Cowperson