Abstract

To ensure that war never happens again, we must record the truth as told by the survivors.
A book that everyone in the world should read.

The Battle of Okinawa, which claimed the lives of 200,000 people at the end of World War II. This book is a record of the horrific scenes of the battle, written in detail by a war correspondent after the war.
A first-rate document of modern history.

Okinawa was one of the most fiercely contested areas of World War II. A total of 200,000 precious lives were lost, including soldiers and civilians. The title of this book, ‘Tetsu-no-bouhu (The Iron Storm)’, refers to the ferocity of the naval bombardment and air raids that continued without interruption for three months from 26 March 1945. Since its publication in 1950, it has become a word that symbolises the Battle of Okinawa. The Allied forces bombarded the area with artillery and firebombs until the terrain changed, and then used relentless flamethrowers to force the residents who had taken refuge in the caves to come out. The Japanese military then forced the Okinawan civilians to commit suicide in order to protect themselves. This book is a meticulous record of the horrific reality of the battlefield, as experienced by reporters who accompanied the troops, based on interviews with survivors. A first-class historical document.

Author’s Information

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