corvettecrazy262
2010-12-04 17:31:08 UTC
Hello, there is a web page, http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/okinawa/default.aspx, and video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsHrxdYYyRI, which sources your museum claiming that the invasion of Okinawa was larger than the invasion of Normandy. This is completely false in every aspect, but a paragraph cited from your Okinawa wall of the Pacific Wing of the National World War Two Museum states it clearly. It quotes, “In fact, the effort in the spring offensive of 1945 was far greater than the previous spring offensive in Europe. During the Normandy invasion, the Allies had employed 150,000 troops, 284 ships, and 570,000 tons of supplies, all of which required a very short supply line. On Okinawa, in Japan's back yard, maintaining the supply line seemed an incomprehensible feat. In the invasion of Okinawa, there were 183,000 troops, 327 ships, and 750,000 tons of supplies.” I am not an expert nor am I aware of every aspect of both invasions, but there is a serious misrepresentation here. From what I’ve researched, and the countless authors of many famous World War Two books, the invasion of Normandy involved more men, ships, supplies, vehicles, and aircraft than any amphibious operation prior or after in all human history. I have a documentary of Stephen Ambrose, of course the founder of your museum when it was first identified as The National D-day Museum, states that the Allied invasion of Normandy was the largest amphibious invasion of all time. During the assault on June 6, 1944, over 156,000 Allied seaborne troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, excluding the over 18,000 Allied paratroopers. Subtracting the three Airborne Divisions, the Allied units attacking the beaches consisted of about nine divisions: The American 1st, 4th, 29th, and 90th Infantry Divisions, 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions, the British 3rd and 50th Infantry Divisions, 79th Armored Division, 8th and 27th Armored Brigades, 1st and 4th Royal Marine Special Armored Brigades, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Brigade. This was the initial assault force of the first day alone; over a million soldiers would land within a month. The museum allegedly says 183,000 U.S. soldiers and marines had invaded on the first day of the battle of Okinawa, L-day. This number consists of more troops than what was actually sent into Okinawa during the entire two and a half month battle. By the end of April 1, 1945, between 50,000 to 60,000 Army and Marine personnel were on Okinawa. The museum seems to be attempting to compare the first day of the invasion of Normandy to the whole number of troops, ships, and supplies that were employed for use during the entire battle of Okinawa. The 183,000 man combat force was made up of the Army’s 7th, 27th, 77th, 96th, Infantry Divisions, and the Marine Corps’ 1st, 2nd, and 6th Marine Divisions. It was the 7th and 96th Army Divisions and 1st and 6th Marine Divisions that were part of the opening assault. However, the 2nd Marine Division remained a floating reserve during the conflict on Okinawa and was never brought ashore in large proportions. The 2nd Marine Division had 25,000 to 30,000 servicemen at that time, and deducting that from 183,000 results in less than 150,000 American troops engaged in land combat during the battle of Okinawa. The only possibility of the initial troop forces of both invasions being similar in size is only by comparing the American seaborne landing forces of each, both composing of four infantry divisions. The Museum also claims that the armada of ships was greater in the Okinawa invasion than the Normandy invasion, this is also bluntly incorrect. From what I’ve been taught, the total number of ships and landing craft in the invasion of Okinawa was from 1,200 to 1,300. It’s unclear how many of ships alone and landing craft alone were used. The Normandy invasion had a more blurred overall number of vessels, ranging from 5,000 to 7,000 ships and landing craft. These numbers are taken from references and vary a bit, but it is agreed upon that 2,000 landing craft were utilized in the invasion of Normandy. Revisiting your quoted paragraph also states the supplies transported and used in each invasion, from the resources I’ve seen and used there is no unmistakable figure. Since your museum is the nation’s official World War Two Museum I was shocked to discover such an error in information. If this hasn’t previously been brought to your attention, the museum should feel obligated to mend this inaccuracy. Feel free to contact me by e-mail or by phone.
Does it seem like it has enough in it?