Japanese Infantry Counter-offensives

[Nightingale]

A question for the historians of TWI Forums:

Were there any battles of the late Pacific Campaign where the Japanese made any significant infantry counter-offensives?

As far as I know, (as far as infantry battles are concerned) '44-'45 was basically the Japanese hiding in caves and bunkers with MGs, and performing unorganized suicidal attacks in the middle of the night, if any such attacks were made at all.

I am interested in seeing what realistic possibilities there exist for US defence maps, and I am sure other mappers would be interested too.

 

[Coopsta]

The Japanese launched several offensives in 1944, but they were in India and China. No offensives in the Pacific. However these were major strategic actions. Small, platoon-scale battles suitable for RO2 maps probably happened in many places, and even if no accounts exist, could probably be implemented without too much failure of suspension of disbelief from players.

 

[Bane5]

If you're looking for an instance in the late war days to make a Japanese attack scenario, you could try April 12, 1945 in Okinawa. The Japanese forces defending Okinawa did a massive full scale counterattack after a massive artillery barrage.

 

[Nightingale]

Thanks for the info guys--very helpful.

>Bane5: An Okinawan American defensive would be very interesting to me. Do you think you could elaborate a bit more on what that counterattack was like? What was the weather like? It was all on the Oroku Peninsula, I presume. Any urban combat?

 

[Bane5]

Do you think you could elaborate a bit more on what that counterattack was like? What was the weather like? It was all on the Oroku Peninsula, I presume. Any urban combat?

Background: The Japanese on Okinawa were determined to hold out as long as possible and inflict as many casualties as possible. This was to be similar to the defense of Iwo Jima. Suicidal charges and attacks by the Japanese defenders were forbidden. Artillery and ammunition were rationed and used sparingly. As U.S. forces invaded and started to capture a large portion of the island. Japanese moral started to plummet. Gen. Ushijima, leader of the Japanese forces on Okinowa ordered an all out counterattack to boost morale at the urging of the 32nd Army staff led by Lt. Gen. Chō.

Location: At this point in the battle, The Japanese defense was split in two. Gen. Ushijima held the southern portion of the island. He had lost contact with the North though the North was still putting up heavy resistance at the time.

In the South, U.S. forces were assaulting a heavily fortified position called Kakazu Ridge which was heavily fortified by Cave and tunnel systems dug into rock. The U.S. offensive against this very heavily fortified position stalled, and this is when Gen. Ushijima ordered an all out counter-offensive along the entire Southern front of Okinawa at night.

Theme: I wouldn't include any villages in this location. Imagine a rocky area with grassland instead. This area should also have a lot of craters and destroyed equipment. Fierce fighting has happened around this area over the last few days.

The Japanese could spawn in caves dug into a small rocky ridge and covered with machine gun nests. It is night-time. This is also an all out Banzai attack, close combat. This particular night saw a lot of close quarter's hand to hand fighting. The American positions would be a series of foxholes hastily dug in over the previous day as well.

Since this is mostly open terrain, you could give the Jap's access to artillery--lots and lots of it for balance. Artillery usage had always been rationed on Okinawa, but on this night, Gen. Ushijima ordered everything he had to fire in support of this offensive.

 

[Nightingale]

This info is gold. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to take advantage of this knowledge, as my plans for an Okinawa map are too different (I'm doing a sort of "Battle for the Pinnacle" type of thing), but I'll keep this info on hand. The idea of Americans in foxholes with the rain pouring down at night sounds very intense.

 

[Bane5]

For a "pinnacle" battle, you could do Yae-Dake on Okinawa. It is one of the highest points on the Island, and it was the last major stronghold in the Northern section that was cutoff from the Southern Garrison. It was held by 3,000 Japanese. The U.S. took a little under 1,500 casualties capturing this area.

Here is a modern day picture of it showing the height:

Spoiler!

You wouldn't see that much vegetation though; the entire place was constantly shelled.

Fighting began on April 14 and ended April 18. Its capture was basically the end of most organized resistance in the North.