Higa Tomiko: The Vietnam War

188 Words1 Pages
After the deadliest battle in the Pacific occurred, Ushijima, the General of the Japanese troops, ordered an attack in may 3, but it was repulsed by the US soldiers. Later, he was forced to order a retreat from the Shuri line. At this point resistance continued, however, as the battle advanced, many losses in battles followed and Ushijima committed suicide with many of his men, because he preferred to die than surrender. On July 2 the US declared the territory safe. A Japanese 7 year old girl called Higa Tomiko recalls ‘’It was a scene straight out of hell there is no other way to describe it’’. 7,401 soldiers and 3,400 Okinawan conscripts surrendered or were captured during the battle. Additional Okinawans were captured or surrendered over