Hell to Pay

Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947

By: D. M. Giangreco

Narrated by: Danny Campbell

Hell to Pay is a comprehensive and compelling examination of the many complex issues that encompassed the strategic plans for the proposed American invasion of Japan. U.S. planning for the invasion and military occupation of Imperial Japan began in 1943, two years before the dropping of atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In its final form, Operation Downfall called for a massive Allied invasion - on a scale dwarfing D-Day - to be carried out in two stages. In the first stage, Operation Olympic, the U.S. Sixth Army would lead the southernmost assault on the Home Island of Kyushu preceded by the dropping of as many as nine atom bombs behind the landing beaches and troop concentrations inland. Sixth Army would secure airfields and anchorages needed to launch the second stage, Operation Coronet, five hundred miles to the north in 1946. The decisive Coronet invasion of the industrial heartland of Japan through the Tokyo Plain would be led by the Eighth Army, as well as the First Army, which had previously pummeled its way across France and Germany to defeat the Nazis.

These facts are well known and have been recounted - with varying degrees of accuracy - in a variety of books and articles. A common theme in these works is their reliance on a relatively few declassified high-level planning documents. In contrast, Hell to Pay examines the invasion of Japan in light of the large body of Japanese and American operational and tactical planning documents unearthed by the author in both familiar and obscure archives, as well as postwar interrogations and reports that senior Japanese commanders and their staffs were ordered to produce for General MacArthur's headquarters.

Hell to Pay brings to light the political and military ramifications of the enormous casualties and loss of material projected by both sides in the climatic struggle to bring the Pacific War to a conclusion through a brutal series of battles on Japanese soil.

©2009 D.M. Giangreco (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A chillingly clear-eyed picture of a battle of attrition so daunting that Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall considered using atomic and chemical weapons to support the operation." ( Publishers Weekly)

Precise, painstakingly all-encompassing.

This is a very detailed, no a precise accounting of the planning, and preparation for the American invasion and the defense by Imperial Japan of the home islands during the Summer of 1945.

This book lays to rest the long standing supposition that the Japanese Empire was going to surrender before the dropping of the Atomic Bombs.

A good, informative, important. and very necessary read.

Poor choice for a audio book

The presenter doesn’t have the most pleasant voice especially when heard on earbuds.
The story is figure-dense, listening to the presenter recite numbers became tedious and then eventually lost meaning.
Also, redundant! Facts and figures and phrases repeated so often I was distracted wondering if I’d somehow jumped chapters.
All that said, a important story thoroughly reported. I just think this was better left to actually reading.

Good information; needs editing

This book describes a part of military history that is interesting, important and not adequately covered by other books. Nonetheless, the book is a bit tedious to get through due to both its organization (meandering) and its narration (humdrum). This would be an excellent book if it were half the length and reorganized.

A good telling of the moments in time.

The story here tells what the current thinking was near the end of the war, and of the great many choices and decisions that were being discussed and decided in order to defeat Japan.

Great if you actually like military history

I am the 11th generation to serve in the United States Navy and a great great niece of a man that never made it of the USS Arizona so I enjoy military history tremendously. I also prefer lectures because I don't need the literally equivalent of glitter and puppets to pay attention. This work is a fantastic overview of Operation Downfall and chilling to think what could have happened if the nuclear bombs had not been used.

Great History

It's a near universal "truth" in most college history classes that the United States did not need to use the nuclear weapons on Japan to end the war. While not challenging that assumption, the author explores the challenges facing the United States and its Allies in an invasion of the Japanese homeland based on extensive research and analysis.

Few Americans recall, or ever knew that on many of the Pacific islands overrun by the Japanese after Pearl Harbor the Japanese fought to the very last man, often engaging in suicidal attacks or as a last measure of preserving honor, committing suicide. Japan had used suicide bombers effectively against the US fleet with devastating results in a number of battles.

The author details both the American plans for an invasion and the Japanese plans for defense in depth of the homeland. The logistical support required by any invading force would be highly vulnerable to suicide air attacks, especially on the thin hulled troop transports and supply ships. After landing troops would come under concentrated fire from well entrenched troops fighting to the death on their homeland.

His study of the actual invasion plans showed many defects based on the lack of accurate information by American planners on the geography of the planned invasion areas including the challenges that would be faced by Americans trying to cross rice paddies , a feature that would be remembered in horror by many who served in Vietnam.

The Japanese air forces would also have a significant home field advantage. They had planned new suicide attack aircraft that would be almost invisible to American radar and well suited for attacks against the vast array of vessels carrying supplies and troops close to the beaches.

Unlike the invasion of Normandie, the invasion fleet would need to sail hundreds if not thousands of miles in their approach. Air cover would be limited to that provided by the carriers and long range aircraft with limited ability to remain over the invading troops and ships.

Finally there's the issue of the thousands of US prisoners of war in Japan who would likely have been executed. The moment the bomb was dropped treatment of the prisoners improved. Many were near death already from starvation, disease and abuse.

The author does not dwell on two other very significant issues associated with any invasion of Japan. That thousands of US POW's would likely be killed or executed and that the Russians would also be involved in the war against Japan , but on a limited basis. However, if post WWII Europe is any indication the Russians would have played a major role in post war Japan .

This is a good piece of history.

Probably one of the least likely, or perhaps, least interesting subjects to delve in to concerning the Second World War. This books discusses contemporary perceptions, and the reality of the projected Invasion of Japan. That is important as it can frame the discussion of the US decision to use Atomic weapons against Japan. This has been dealt with in other sources, and from many perspectives. I find this a very well researched volume, using both American and Japanese sources. He may not have spent enough time discussing one of the more bizarre acts of the war, which was a partial demobilization following the defeat of Germany. He does cover the impact of that decision on the War against the Japanese quite well. This book is not speculative in nature, he looks at contemporary estimates, including how they were produced. He uses evidence from other battles against Japan (the Philippines, Saipan, Peleliu, Okinawa, etc.) to give perspective to the estimates, and context for the larger American and Japanese battle plans. Certainly, I walk away with even more respect for the Japanese, and I have a better idea of the size of the Japanese Armed Forces, at the time of the Invasion. This didn't change my mind on the use of Atomic weapons. It did remind me further of the naivete of the Americans regarding radiation given the tactical planning for the employment of further atomic weapons. I am glad that didn't happen, both for the Japanese, and for those American soldiers as well. A very interesting book. The appendix is quite dry, but still worth reading.

tons of great info, but not the best format

the book is chuck full of facts, figures, strategies, documents, maneuvers, hypothesis etc. the problem is that a book is just not the best place for it all, a video documentary series would be a much better format so all the states could be visually supported

Go back to school

There is no such thing as a nucUlear bomb. It’s NUCLEAR. Learn how to speak correctly...

Thank God we had nukes

My God, the invasion of Japan would have been a bloodbath beyond comprehension. It would have made the Somme and Stalingrade an easy day.
This book sheds a lot of light on why we had to use a couple of atom bombs to bring the Japanese to surrender.