嘉数の戦闘

The battle in Kakazu
The Defending Japanese Army, the 32nd, delayed the decisive battle with the U.S. Armed Forces. They built up combined positions (several layers deep) in the caves around Shuri through Nishihara to Urasoe, which contributed to the protraction of the war. Kakazu Ridge was the front line for the extended war. The 13th Independent infantry battalion, 62nd division, under 32nd Army, was stationed on Kakazu Ridge. On April 1, 1945, U.S. Forces advanced to south of what was then known as Ginowan village. This formed a line, which linked Uchidomari, Ganeko, and Tanahara of Nishihara including Kakazu Ridge. This was where the primary battle lines developed by the main Japanese and U.S. Forces.
The Japanese Forces installed mines in the expected route of the U.S. Armed Forces and attacked them with heavy weapons such as anti-tank guns and mortars. In addition, there was hand-to-hand combat including suicide attacks which were soldiers running with bombs in their hands. According to the U.S. Annals of Warfare, "The loss of twenty-two tanks on 19 April in the Kakazu area was the greatest suffered by American armor on Okinawa in a single engagement". For more than two weeks after the battle, the Japanese Forces withdrew to the Maeda Ridge area of Urasoe.
Kakazu Ridge was one of the fiercest areas of battles in Okinawa. Additionally, both Japan and U.S. Armed Forces suffered large losses and local inhabitants were also swept up in the fighting and many were sacrificed in the battles.
Ginowan City