Operation Ten-Go

Battle of the East China Sea
Part of the Battle of Okinawa and the Pacific War

Yamato under attack
Date7 April 1945 (1945-04-07)
Location
Between Kyūshū and the Ryūkyū Islands
Result American victory
Belligerents
 United States  Japan
Commanders and leaders
Units involved

United States Fifth Fleet

Empire of Japan 2nd Fleet
Strength
  • 11 aircraft carriers
  • 6 battleships
  • 11 cruisers
  • 30+ destroyers
  • 386 aircraft
Casualties and losses
  • 97 killed
  • 122 wounded
  • 10-13 aircraft destroyed
  • 1 aircraft carrier damaged
  • 1 battleship damaged
  • 1 destroyer damaged
  • 52 aircraft damaged
  • 4,137 killed[1]
  • Yamato sunk
  • Yahagi sunk
  • 4 destroyers sunk
  • 1 destroyer severely damaged
  • ~100 aircraft destroyed

Operation Ten-Go (天号作戦, Ten-gō Sakusen), also known as Operation Heaven One (or Ten-ichi-gō 天一号), was the last major Japanese naval operation in the Pacific Theater of World War II. In April 1945, the Japanese battleship Yamato, the largest battleship in the world, and nine other Japanese warships, embarked from Japan for a suicide attack on Allied forces engaged in the Battle of Okinawa. The Japanese force was attacked by U.S. carrier-borne aircraft before it could reach Okinawa; Yamato and five other Japanese warships were sunk.

The battle demonstrated U.S. air supremacy in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and the vulnerability of surface ships without air cover to aerial attack. The battle also exhibited Japan's willingness to make extreme sacrifices in kamikaze attacks aimed at delaying the Allied advance upon the Japanese home islands.

Furthermore, the engagement was also paramount by enabling U.S. forces to prevent Japan from holding a significant advantage over the Allies at Okinawa.[2][3] The designation of Yamato as a beached fortification against Allied aerial and naval bombardment of Okinawa would have become detrimental towards the invading armies,[4][5] in that, alike to Operation Downfall, the anticipated losses would have substantially increased for maritime combatants at large,[6] likewise with surrounding infantry support.[7][8] It is generally accepted amongst historians that the prior removal of Yamato from the scene was a preliminary objective of the Allies before any further assaults.[9][10]

  1. ^ Abe 1994.
  2. ^ "Okinawa Campaign: April 1-June 21, 1945 / Operation Ten-Go". www.history.navy.mil. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Operation Ten-Go: April 15-16,1945". www.history.navy.mil. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  4. ^ "The Superbattleship Yamato in Operation Ten-ichi-go". www.warfarehistorynetwork.com. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  5. ^ "What If? – Alternatives to Operation Ten-Go". www.thetidesofhistory.com. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  6. ^ "What Was Operation Ten-Go? The Last Japanese Naval Action of World War Two". www.historyhit.com. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Could Japan's Yamato Super Battleship Have Saved Okinawa?". www.nationalinterest.org. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Operation Ten-Go". www.weaponsandwarfare.com. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Knowledge Zone - Topic Details". www.knowledgezone.co.in. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Operation Ten-Go". www.weaponsandwarfare.com. Retrieved 23 July 2024.