The Final Storm - Jeff Shaara [106]
The ongoing disagreements among his staff had come to a noisy head on April 29, the occasion of Emperor Hirohito’s birthday. The insistence on a change of strategy had been bolstered by Cho’s emotional appeal that a sharp counterstrike at the enemy could be offered as a gift to the emperor that would demonstrate Ushijima’s unwavering dedication. Colonel Yahara had been outraged that Cho would tie the two together, as though by waging the most logical and intelligent kind of defense against an overwhelming enemy, they were somehow insulting Japanese pride, violating sacred traditions. The arguments had risen to hot-tempered confrontations between Cho and Yahara, and it was not the first time Cho had belittled Yahara for his emphasis on defense. This time Cho expanded his arguments, even going so far as to badger Ushijima with the uselessness of Yahara’s war of attrition. It had been indiscreet and insubordinate, but to Yahara’s disgust, Ushijima had allowed the display, had encouraged a surprised Cho to present his plan in detail. Throughout the campaign thus far, Yahara had been the primary engineer, the colonel operating with Ushijima’s blessing, both men understanding that the power the Americans brought to Okinawa could not be defeated by old ways, by what had worked in China. But Ushijima was now taking Cho’s arguments to heart, not because of the absurd patriotism Cho was ramming down their throats, but because Ushijima knew that with the infusion of fresh power on the American side, the inevitability of total defeat for Ushijima’s army had just been amplified. Despite Yahara’s intensely effective defenses, the Americans had shown far more tenacity than Ushijima had expected, and with the sinking of the Yamato, Cho’s arguments took on new significance. The sacrificial loss of Japan’s greatest warship had been a clear sign that the Imperial Navy had made its last best effort, and in the end, that effort had been a terribly useless waste. Now, with no great battle fleets to protect the supply ships, those ships would not come at all. Despite the cheery radio messages from the Japanese mainland, Ushijima also understood that the only air support his men would receive would come from the Divine Wind flights. Operation Floating Chrysanthemum had certainly wounded a number of American ships, but thus far, despite all the mindless optimism from the mainland, the suicide planes had done nothing to drive away the enormous American fleet.
Ushijima had finally silenced Yahara’s protests by pointing out that Cho’s arguments carried an unusual amount of military logic. A sudden counterattack would certainly catch the Americans completely by surprise. The results could be spectacular, an all-out strike that might so shred the American positions that they would have no choice but to retreat. Cho’s song had not changed, the man still believing that kind of retreat would take the Americans all the way back to their ships. But Ushijima had finally allowed himself to be convinced that if this fight had an inevitable outcome, his duty lay in the most effective way he could damage the enemy. If the Americans could be thrown into chaos by a sudden counterattack, it would buy precious time. The longer the campaign, the greater the number of American casualties. Ushijima knew that, ultimately, those casualties were the only gift he could hope to offer the emperor.
It would not be a mindless banzai attack. There was a plan, carefully structured, and despite Yahara’s grumblings, Ushijima had demanded his participation. Yahara was the best strategist in his army, and if the colonel did not believe in the plan, he was still obligated by duty and Ushijima’s order to help carry it out. For four days the troops had been prepared, the