Lichtgeschwindigkeit 85 OBAMISTAN

die ungeschnittene extemporierte Piraten-Presseschau –

am Samstag, 21. November 2009,

von Dr. Dietmar Moews im Alphons-Silbermann-Zentrum Berlin

Pankow Niederschönhausen; Aufnahmezeit um 21 Uhr;

ferner ein Sonderheft der Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie

aus der Zeit der eminenten Soziologen René König und Alphons Silbermann:

ENTWCKLUNGSSOZIOLOGIE; Czempiel/Schweitzer: Weltpolitik der USA –

Einführung und Dokumente, hrsg. Schriftenreihe der Bundeszentrale für

politische Bildung;

Carsten Herrmann-Pillath, Michael Lackner Hrsg. mit Doris Fischer und Christoph Müller-Hofstede:

Länderbericht CHINA – Politik, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft im chinesischen Kulturraum

Piratenthema heute: OBAMISTAN – die ärmlichen Erfolge des

US-Präsident Barack Obama bei seinem Versuch, auf seiner Rundreise

durch Japan, Nordkorea, in Singapur, Burma, Shanghai, China und

Südkorea, als pazifischer Präsident eine politische Konsonanz

mit den asiatischen Staaten einzuleiten. Taiwan der demokratischen

Nationalchinesen auf Formosa wurde ausgelassen – Obama

besuchte nicht, wie vorher Bush, eine christliche Kirche in China

und traf auch nicht den Dalai Lama in Tibet – es half aber nichts.

Obama wollte hope und change verwirklichen – Hoffnung und

Veränderungen, die seine Wähler erwarten, Multilateralismus statt

Unilateralismus, Konzillianz statt missionarischen Druck.

Der neue Ministerpräsident Japans, Hatoyama, stellte infolge

vorgenommener Verlegung amerikanischer Truppen in Japan

das bestehende Bündnis mit den USA in Frage. Japan wird

zukünftig nicht mehr US-Kriegsschiffe betanken. Japan lehnt

auch die us-amerikanischen Vorschläge zur Klimakonferenz ab.

Chinas Präsident Hu Jintao ist in keiner einzigen Punkt Obamas

auf die USA eingegangen. Weder zur Frage der iranischen Atombombe,

den Drohungen Nordkoreas gegen die USA, oder hinsichtlich der

riesigen chinesischen Dollarreserven erreichte Obama etwas.

Das diktatorische China will bei den Importen aus USA selbst

die Preise beeinflussen. China will auch zukünftig den US-Markt

für die chinesischen Exporte nutzen und nimmt deshalb inkauf,

den inflationären Dollar zu stützen, damit die eigenen Handelsüberschüsse

und amerikanischen Schatzpapiere nicht gefährdet werden.

Rechtsstaatlichkeit, Bürgerrechte und sonstige piratenpolitischen

Werte sind in China nicht gefragt. Die politischen Differenzen

zwischen CHINA und den PIRATEN sind punkto staatliche

Repression und Willkür als Herrschaftsinstrumente groß.

Weiterhin hält China die Yüan-Währung unterbewertet und

beklagte gebetsmühlenhaft den Protektionismus der westlichen

Handelspartner. Bei der Pressekonferenz in Peking durften die

Journalisten Obama keine Fragen stellen. Obamistan blickt auf

den Pazifik, kann aber auf Asean als Ordnungsmacht keine

Akzente setzen. Obama muss die wirtschaftich gestärkten

Schwellenländer China, Indien und Brasilien zukünftig als

strategische Mitspieler, besser noch als Partner behandeln.

Als letzte Station besuchte Obama, Südkorea, wo er eine gewisse

Rivalität mit China anklingen ließ. Die EU und Deutschland hängen

finanzpolitisch, wirtschaftlich und militärisch mit den USA eng zusammen,

ja, wenn nicht von Abhängigkeit gesprochen werden soll. Es gibt

grundsätzlich eine Wertegemeinschaft, die aber kollossal einseitig

ausgelegt wird. Entwicklungssoziologisch müssen die USA und

Europa im Dialog bleiben. Die europäische Vielfalt und die

amerikanische Selbstgenügsamkeit stehen dem entgegen.

Die Leipziger Volkszeitung ist eine Bildzeitung, die selbst

auf dem Titel keinerlei weltpolitische Themen führt. Auch zum

Thema Massendatenspeicherung und Überwachungsstaat gereichte

der Kreditkartenskandal für die Leipziger Volkszeitung vom Wochenende

nicht aus, ein Piratenthema kritisch zu beleuchten.

Produktion, Performance, Autor, Direktion: Dr. Dietmar Moews;

Aufnahmetechnik und Admin: Piratencrew Berlin;

Musik: 8 days the beads zum Mp3-Download von dietmarmoews.com

NEWLY elected Wellington Town Councillor James Hunt has offered his commiserations to his Labour opponent in yesterday’s Rockwell Green ward by-election.

James, who was the Conservative candidate, won the seat after drawing lots to decide the outcome when the poll was tied at exactly 212 votes each.

Town council clerk Greg Dyke then drew out one of two ballot papers to literally decide the issue by luck – and it was James’ ballot paper which came out first.

The Liberal Democrat candidate trailed badly in third place with fewer than half the Conservative and Labour total at only 104 votes.

James, who previously stood for the county council election in Wellington and Rockwell Green, said afterwards: “I do not think anybody at the count had ever experienced a tie before.

“It was quite a remarkable evening and I really felt for the Labour candidate who lost out with the luck of the draw.

“The result was slightly unexpected also because nobody predicted the Liberal Democrat vote would collapse so dramatically.

“But I think that was a reflection of the voters rejecting the very unpleasant and negative campaigning of the Lib Dems, who, for instance, declared themselves against the campaign to reopen a railway station for Wellington.

“The Trains for Wellington (T4W) campaign launched by our Conservative Parliamentary candidate Mark Formosa is incredibly popular and has huge public support, and I now look forward as a town councillor to meeting the Network Rail officials Mark is bringing to Wellington shortly.

“My message to the people of Rockwell Green and Westford was that I want to represent them first, and my party second, as party politics should not dictate what is best for the town.

“I will represent people no matter what their politics nor whether they actually voted for me and I will do my best to be a good councillor tackling the issues that matter to people in their local community.”

• Our photograph shows Councillor James Hunt (centre) being congratulated on his election success by Wellington Conservative Association chairman Trevor Morgan (right) and Wellington Area and Blackdown divisional leader Ken Winhall.

NETWORK Rail officials have accepted an invitation from aspiring Wellington Conservative MP Mark Formosa to visit the town to talk about how a new railway station could be built.

Mark Formosa, who earlier this year launched the ‘Trains for Wellington’ campaign (T4W), is also inviting town councillors to meet the Network Rail representatives.

Mark Formosa said: “The issue of a new railway station for Wellington is too important to be used as a ‘political football’, which is why I would like town councillors to come along as well.

“The town council has so far given cross-party support to the station campaign, and I was therefore very sad this week to see that Liberal Democrats in Wellington are now opposing a new station.

“I hope that some of them, at least, will care enough about the future prosperity of Wellington that they will not follow their party line of opposition to T4W’s campaign and will attend this very important meeting.”

Network Rail is responsible for the infrastructure of Britain’s railways, such as stations and track, and is currently consulting on possible improvements to the South West’s rail services.

Its public consultation closes later this month and Mark Formosa will feed into it the results of a T4W survey in which more than 5,000 homes in Wellington received questionnaires.

Mark Formosa said: “We have had a tremendous response to the T4W survey with nearly a thousand people so far giving us their views.

“This is an incredibly popular campaign and has shown there is massive public support for Wellington to have a station reopened.

“Of those who replied, 49 per cent said they did not use buses but they would use the trains, and 48 per cent said they wanted a station so they could travel by train for shopping, leisure, and day trips.

“The station was closed 45 years ago under the ‘Beeching axe’, and today Wellington remains the largest town on the main London rail line not to have its own station.

“It is almost criminal that during 16 years of Liberal Democrats running the county council they did nothing of note to progress replacing the station in Wellington.

“Now, I have the support of my Conservative colleagues who are in charge of the county council and we are much more positive about the future, with emphasis being given to the station campaign in the council’s Local Transport Plan, which was recently consulted on in Wellington.”

T4W is aiming to ensure that by 2014 – the 50^th anniversary of the station closure – Wellington will be in a position where it can see that a new station is going to happen.

Mark Formosa said: “With the news this week from the Association of Train Operators that train passengers are at a 60-year record high, there can hardly be a better time to press for a new station to encourage even more people to travel on the railways.”

• Our photograph shows Mark Formosa with T4W surveys during a visit to Crewkerne railway station, which is a smaller town than Wellington but still has a station.

Enquanto o pessoal fica concentrado na minissaia da mocreia, no apagão, e em coisas mais importantes para o nosso dia-a-dia, vale lembrar… Falando nisso, alguém sabe por onde anda o Carli Filho?

Daniel Pinheiro

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Suposta líder de golpe responde por farra das passagens

Marido e mulher comandavam esquema de fraude na folha de pagamento da Câmara, segundo investigações policiais

Fonte: Congresso em Foco

As quadrilhas que fraudam a folha de pagamento da Câmara, conforme mostrou o Congresso em Foco, têm dois suspeitos de chefiarem o esquema, segundo apontam as investigações da Polícia Legislativa da Casa. Um deles é  Franzé Feijão, assessor exonerado do gabinete de Sandro Mabel (PR-GO). A outra é sua esposa, Abigail Pereira da Silva, ex-assessora do deputado Raymundo Veloso (PMDB-BA), e que responde a dois processos administrativos disciplinares por suposto envolvimento no comércio ilegal de créditos de passagens aéreas da Câmara.

De acordo com a apuração, o golpe se dava de três maneiras. A primeira era buscar famílias carentes na periferia de Brasília e contratá-las como funcionários na folha de pagamento para obter deles salários e benefícios. Em troca, as quadrilhas pagavam uma espécie de benefício social por cada filho das vítimas. A outra forma era superfaturar recibos de escolas particulares de funcionários de verdade, a fim de obter reembolsos maiores no auxílio-creche diferenciado da Câmara, o Programa de Assistência Pré-escolar (PAE). A terceira maneira é burlar o sistema de vale-transporte.

Segundo o deputado Veloso, Abigail Pereira da Silva foi afastada pelo envolvimento na farra das passagens. “Quando eu soube, eu não tinha conhecimento, eu exonerei. Mas se ela provar sua inocência, pode voltar”, disse o parlamentar ao site, na tarde de quarta-feira (11). “Se eu não fizesse isso, seria conivente.” A reportagem não localizou a portaria de exoneração da servidora.

Veloso disse que Abigail lhe contou ter trocado e cedido seus créditos de passagens aéreas com outros parlamentares. “Ela me disse que é inocente.” Em depoimento aos investigadores que apuram o comércio de passagens, Abigail afirmou que o deputado sempre estourava sua cota de passagens. Assim, ela antecipava os créditos com o agente de viagens Pedro Damião Pinto Rabelo.

O deputado Veloso é um dos três parlamentares investigados pelo corregedor da Câmara, ACM Neto (DEM-BA), sobre eventual participação na comercialização de créditos. A apuração ainda não se encerrou.

Passando necessidade

Na investigação sobre o golpe na folha, Abigail e Franzé são apontados como chefes do esquema, aqueles que providenciavam a contratação de pessoas humildes para a folha de pagamentos da Casa.

O deputado Veloso diz que, em seu gabinete, Abigail pediu a contratação de Alda Silva Bandeira e Rosângela Maria da Rocha, que foram admitidas em agosto de 2007. Antes, as duas já tinham trabalhado nos gabinete do ex-parlamentar Irapuã Teixeira (maio a outubro de 2006), segundo os boletins administrativos de pessoal da Câmara. De lá, foram para o gabinete de Sandro Mabel (PR-GO), entre dezembro de 2006 e abril de 2007. Entre agosto de 2007 e 3 de setembro deste ano, trabalharam para Veloso.

“A Abigail me disse que tinha duas senhoras passando necessidade e que tinham filhos. Elas estavam como funcionárias, mas logo que soube que faltavam, eu exonerei”, explicou o deputado.

De acordo com as investigações, um dos três filhos pequenos de Alda estuda em Águas Lindas (GO), no Entorno de Brasília. Por outro lado, os comprovantes para reembolso do PAE seriam de escolas do Distrito Federal.

Como mostrou o Congresso em Foco na quarta-feira, a faxineira desempregada Márcia Flávia Silveira (nome fictício) diz que foi convencida por Franzé a fornecer documentos pessoais e de suas três filhas. Foi com ele a uma agência bancária na Câmara dos Deputados onde abriu uma conta. Márcia Flávia virou funcionária do gabinete de Sandro Mabel, ganhando mais de R$ 2 mil, mas pensava estar cadastrada em um programa social do governo, pelo qual recebia R$ 300 por mês.

Casa em Formosa

Outra vertente da fraude é falsificar contratos de aluguel em Formosa (GO), a 80 km de Brasília, a mais distante cidade do Entorno do Distrito Federal. Com isso, o vale-transporte aumenta para R$ 23,02 por dia.

Entretanto, a trapaça não é feita por um grupo de maneira organizada. As investigações apontam que a irregularidade é praticada por funcionários de forma individual.

A BUILDING project to extend Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School is £10 richer after a visit by aspiring Taunton Deane Conservative MP Mark Formosa.

Mark ‘bought a brick’ when he attended one of the school’s monthly community involvement afternoons, which it calls ‘First Friday’ and which includes a session with pupils developing their literacy skills by reading to visitors.

The soft clay brick and others funded during the ‘buy a brick’ event will be used to create a raised flower bed outside an extension which will provide larger classrooms for year one and two pupils.

Building work began a few weeks ago, and when complete it will also allow the school to relocate its library, improve storage of resources, and provide two small group rooms.

Mark Formosa said: “I was very pleased to be invited to visit such a wonderful village school, which is a fine example of how small rural schools can be a successful and important part of local community life.

“There is a very strong bond between the school and the community, and I was hugely impressed with the enthusiasm everybody showed for raising the money to fund the building work.

“I note also that Kingston St Mary has achieved ‘dyslexia friendly status’ and that it provides great support for children with special educational needs, which are all signs that head teacher Jan McCarthy and chairman of governors David Clews are running a fine school indeed.”

• Our photograph shows Mark Formosa adding a design to his school brick with help from two Kingston St Mary School pupils.

After enjoying a late breakfast/early lunch, I decided to brew a small pot of tea and snack on some delicious bread pudding my husband purchased for me a few days ago. I figure, after eating a healthy meal and spending 30 minutes doing a yoga tape, I should be entitled to a sinfully sweet dessert. Shouldn’t I? In my opinion, nothing pairs better with an incredibly rich dessert than a delicious oolong. Of course, I’ll enjoy a cup of tea first, then eat my bread pudding paired with a second cuppa tea. Today’s choice… Oriental Beauty-First Prize also known as Dong Fang Mei Ren or Bai Hao.

Composition: Taiwanese oolong harvested at the end of spring.

Dry Visual: Very dark reddish-brown leaves dominate. Tips are present with a splattering of light green leaves. The leaves are withered, long and somewhat curled.

Dry Aroma: Sweet with a honey scented aroma.

Flavor: Oriental Beauty has a lovely taste. Somewhat full-bodied, this tea is complex. It is very floral yet sweet. The sweetness which I tasted more on the back of the tongue was that of honey and a fruitiness I could not quite discern. Some experts have claimed peach, I would love to hear your thoughts. I have steeped Oriental Beauty on several occasions playing with the steeping time. When steeped for a longer period of time, this tea also presents a toasted flavor. There is even a honey-flavored aftertaste long after the cup is gone.

I found the brew to have little astringency (no bitterness, but a subtle dry feel in the mouth).  Nevertheless, no sweetener was needed nor would I recommend it.

Liquor: A rich yellow hue with a hint of red. When steeped for longer periods of time the liquor takes on a reddish or amber hue.

Brewing Time: According to the directions, the recommended steeping time is 3-5 minutes in water that ranges from 190 to 200 degrees F. I have steeped for 3, 4, and 5 minutes for the first infusion. For this tasting, I steeped for 4 minutes.

Manufacturer: TeaSource

Caffeine: Yes.

If you have had the opportunity to enjoy a cup of Oriental Beauty-First Prize, please stop by and share your experience. Until then… Happy Tea Drinking!

SHADOW Housing Minister Grant Shapps has become involved in the case of a Wellington mother with an autistic son who has been refused help by Taunton Deane Borough Council in finding a suitable home.

Mark Formosa is pictured with Jodie Constable and her daughter Bronte and autistic son Leo.

The case was referred to him after aspiring Taunton Deane Conservative MP Mark Formosa brought in help from Caroline Spelman, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Mark Formosa is also pressing housing officers at the Deane council to rethink their refusal of Mrs Constable’s plea to be moved into the ‘gold’ band of the new Homefinder Somerset social housing allocation scheme, which would create a realistic prospect of securing three-bedroom accommodation.

At present, Mrs Constable’s ‘silver’ banding means she is only 33rd on the list when she applies for three-bedroom housing and has little chance of being successful.

She needs a larger property because the autism of her three-year-old son Leo triggers aggressive behaviour which runs the risk of him causing physical harm to her two-year-old daughter Bronte, who has to share the same bedroom.

Mrs Constable was also told by the Deane council that even if she was able to find another home privately, she would only qualify for properties with a maximum rent of £550 per month – less than the £650-plus average market rental for three-bedroom properties.

Mark Formosa said: “I am disappointed that the Deane council’s housing department are so dismissive of the plight of Mrs Constable and her family and have refused her appeal against her ‘silver’ banding.

“It seems that they do not make sufficient allowance for severe mental disabilities in children and are quite prepared to wait for the unthinkable to happen before taking appropriate action.

“I understand the council have to operate within the rules laid down by the Government, but very often these cases come down to a matter of discretion and interpretation by local officers which would allow the Deane council to help.

“Mrs Constable is at her wit’s end and feels badly let down by the very council which is supposed to be working toward making Taunton Deane a better place for all of us to live in.”

Plans and Preparation

The United States decided to invade Okinawa in the fall of 1944 following the seizure of Peleliu and the Philippine landings.  The planned invasion of Formosa was cancelled after General Simon Bolivar Buckner objected.[i] Buckner argued that the Japanese army on it was “much too strong to be attacked by the forces by American Forces then available in the Pacific.”[ii] The strategic rationale behind the decision to invade Okinawa included Okinawa’s proximity to Japan as a staging base for a future invasion of the Japanese mainland.  Likewise taking the island would severe Japan’s lines of communication and commerce with Southeast Asia and to serve as base for strategic bombers.[iii] Planning began in October 1944 and the detailed plan for OPERATION ICEBERG was issued 9 February 1945.[iv] The campaign was not planned in isolation but “was bound up strategically with the operations against Luzon and Iwo Jima; they were all calculated to maintain unremitting pressure against Japan and to effect the attrition of its military forces.”[v]

Lt General Simon Bolivar Buckner Commander of US 10th Army

The War Department insisted that Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner command the newly formed 10^th US Army.[vi] .  Buckner was chosen to command based on his taking of the Aleutians, displacing the veteran Marine Holland M. Smith. One critical history noted that “compared to his subordinates, Buckner was hardly fit to command a corps, let alone a field army.”[vii]

The 10^th Army consisted of the 3^rd Amphibious Corps (1^st, 2^nd and 6^th Marine Divisions) under Major General Roy Geiger and the XXIV Army Corps (7^th, 27^th, 77^th and 96^th Divisions) under Major General John Hodge.[viii] 2^nd Marine Division was designated as a diversionary force, and the 77^th Division was assigned to take the nearby island of Kerama Retto prior to the landings to provide the Navy a safe anchorage and as an artillery platform to shell Okinawa. The 27^th Division was in corps reserve.  All were veteran units and had it was believed they would be “more than enough to overwhelm the estimated 70,000 Japanese on Okinawa.”[ix] However, much of XXIV Corps had only been engaged in hard combat on Leyte and was not relieved of their duties on Leyte on 1 March 1945.  This provided these units with no time to rest and refit.[x] More importantly badly needed troop replacements had been diverted to Europe due to the crisis in infantry strength there during the battle of the Bulge.[xi] The operation was very large and “mounted on a scale that matched the previous year’s Allied landing in Normandy.”[xii]

The Japanese Preparations

Japanese Commander Lt General Ushijima

American intelligence underestimated the number of Japanese on the island, with an estimate of 55,000 with the expectation of 66,000 by 1 April.[xiii] However by the time of the invasion the Japanese defenders numbered over 100,000.[xiv] The defense of Okinawa was entrusted to the 32^nd Army was activated in 1 April 1944 commanded by Lieutenant General Ushijima.  In addition to Okinawa the 32^nd Army was responsible for the entire Ryukyu chain.[xv] General Ushijima had commanded an infantry group in Burma and was commander of the military academy when appointed to command 32^nd Army and ordered to Okinawa.  His Chief of Staff, General Cho was a firebrand.  Cho had served in China and had participated in a number of attempted military coups in the 1930s as a member of the “Cherry Group.”[xvi] Another key officer though relatively junior was Colonel Yahara the Operations Officer. He had served as an exchange officer in the United States and was intellectual and a modern soldier. He viewed war as a science, won by “superior tactics adjusted to terrain, weapons and troops…not Banzai charges.”[xvii] He was “widely recognized as an expert in his field,”[xviii] and devised the Japanese defensive plan for Okinawa.

Colonel Yahara Architect of the Japanese Defensive Plan

Until 32^nd Army was activated Okinawa was garrisoned by a mere 600 troops,[xix] and until major units arrived these soldiers concentrated on airfield construction.[xx] Eventually the 9^th, 24^th and 62^nd Infantry Divisions, the 44^th Mixed Brigade along with a light tank regiment and significant artillery came to Okinawa. Additional forces were alloted to outlying islands.  The 24^th Division was a triangular division of 3 infantry regiments of 3 battalions each and supporting arms. The 62^nd Division was a “brigaded” division activated in 1943 was formed from the veteran 63^rd and 64^th brigades each with 4 infantry battalions and supporting arms. It had no organic artillery.  Both of the brigades of this division received an additional infantry battalion in January 1945 giving the division ten maneuver battalions.[xxi] Okinawa’s defenses were significantly weakened when 9^th Division was transferred to Formosa by the 10^th Area Army in late 1944. To compensate General Ushijima converted Naval and service troops on the island into front line troops. Additionally he called the Okinawan Boeitai volunteers and conscripts into service.[xxii] The Boeitai numbered 20,000 and burned “with ardor to serve their emperor.”[xxiii] Seven sea raiding units were converted into infantry battalions.[xxiv] The major units, with the exception of 24^th Division which had been transferred from Manchuria had combat experience.[xxv]

USS Tennessee Provides Naval Gunfire Support while LVTs Advance toward the Beaches

Ushijima’s plans to concentrate his forces in the south were delayed by Tokyo.[xxvi] Likewise the number and disposition of troops in the Ryukyu’s were decided by Imperial Headquarters.[xxvii] Colonel Yahara wrote that had Imperial Headquarters “been able to give us an overall plan with specific unit names and arrival dates, we would have been able to follow a consistent policy, disposing units in an efficient manner rather than moving them left and right.”[xxviii] He noted how the 44^th Mixed Brigade had to change location and thus its defensive preparations “seven times during the ten months before the actual battle….”[xxix]

XXIV Corps Advancing South

The loss of the 9^th Division and its 25,000 soldiers forced Ushijima to change his initial plan to defend the beaches and then launch a major counterattack to drive the Americans into the sea.[xxx] Ushijima decided to defend the south end of the island. This was the most defensible area, with a network of fortifications and underground caves centered on the ancient citadel of Shuri Castle. “Troop disposition would conform to local terrain; troop strength would be concentrated; and an extensive system of subterranean fortifications constructed.”[xxxi] The defenses were “anchored in natural and artificial caves which dotted the mountainous regions around Shuri.”[xxxii] “Terrain features were incorporated into the defense and weapons were well sited with excellent fields of fire.”[xxxiii] General Ushijima left Colonel Udo’s 2^nd Infantry Unit to fight a delaying action in the north,[xxxiv] having decided that the area was of “little military value.”[xxxv] Likewise Ushijima decided not to contest the landings or to defend the airfields at Kadena and Yontan.[xxxvi] He planned to use Boeitai units to demolish the airfields when the Americans approached.[xxxvii]

Flamethrowers were Widely Employed their Operators were Targeted by the Japanese

Ushijima’s defensive scheme laid out by Yahara involved concentric defensive lines, tunnels and bunker systems and even the Chinese tombs which dotted the island were converted to pillboxes over the objections of Okinawan elders.[xxxviii] Yahara and Ushijima planned a battle of attrition with all artillery in the army concentrated on the southern end of Okinawa.  Yahara believed the battle would be a “bitter yard-by-yard” defense of the island,[xxxix] with a focus on defense in depth with preparations for anti-tank warfare. There were to be no Banzai charges.[xl] Ushijima turned Bushido “inside out” and urged his soldiers to “Devise combat method [sic] based on mathematical precision, then think about displaying your spiritual power.”[xli] The defenders would be assisted by suicide boat squadrons based on Okinawa and Kerama Retto and over 4000 aircraft, conventional and Kamikaze and a naval force built around the super battleship Yamato.[xlii]

The Landings

Wrecked Tanks on Skyline Ridge

The assault on Okinawa began with landings by 77^th Division on Kerama Retto on 26 March.   The landings were met with little opposition as most of the combat troops on the islands had been moved to Okinawa leaving only base and service troops and members of a Sea Raiding Unit and Korean laborers to defend the small island.[xliii] By the 29^th of March the islands were taken, along with numerous prisoners.  Over 350 of the fast “Suicide Boats” that were to attack US transports and landing craft were destroyed at Kerama Retto and long range artillery was emplaced were it could support the Okinawa landings.[xliv] More importantly Kerama Retto provided the Navy a safe anchorage, and Service Squadron 10 arrived on 27 March to support naval forces around the island.[xlv] The naval bombardment was led by Admiral Deyo’s battleships and Admiral Blandy’s escort carriers[xlvi] and culminated on 1 April when 10^th Army went ashore. By the time of the landing 10 battleships and 11 cruisers would join the attack.[xlvii] Over 13,000 large caliber shells were fired and a total of 5,162 tons of ammunition were expended on ground targets and 3,095 air sorties were flown by L Day.[xlviii] Fortunately for the Japanese Ushijima had listened to Colonel Yahara and elected not to defend the beach, and thus most of the shells fell on empty positions and terrain.[xlix]

The Americans landed on the Hagushi beaches adjacent to Kadena and Yontan air bases.  No organized resistance was encountered and in the first hour 16,000 troops landed.[l] There was little disorganization and all units landed on time on the planned beaches.[li] The beaches were bisected by the Bishi River which served as the Corps boundary.  The 1^st and 6^th Marine Divisions landed north of it and the 7^th and 96^th to the south.  The Marines chopped up the “Bimbo Butai” in their area many of whom melted back into the civilian population.[lii] The Americans moved rapidly inland and by nightfall over 60,000 Marines and Soldiers were ashore.[liii] As the landings were made the 2^nd Marine Division conducted a demonstration off Minatoga on the east side of the Okinawa actually launching several waves of landing craft.[liv] On 2 April the operation was repeated which helped divert some Japanese attention off of the actual landings. Ushijima reported that the attempt “was complete foiled, with heavy losses to the enemy.”[lv] Some Marine veterans of Peleliu were jubilant at not having to land and some wondered what the Japanese were up to.[lvi]

Marine Battalion Commander Raising Flag over Shuri Castle

In the following days the two Marine divisions would race north and east while Army troops advanced cautiously to the south first encountering light opposition.[lvii] The 1^st Marine Division cut the island in two on April 3^rd and was allowed to clear the Katchin Peninsula which it took without opposition.[lviii] The 6^th Marine Division moved north and by the 7^th it had had taken Nago.  Colonel Udo’s troops of the 2^nd infantry Unit defended the Motubu with great skill[lix] but the Marines took the center of resistance on April 18th.[lx] They then cleared the remainder of the peninsula and the rest of the northern end of the island by the 20^th.[lxi] The Marines had advanced 84 miles and killed 2,500 Japanese at the cost of 261 killed and 1,061 wounded. The Japanese survivors according to the plan of Colonel Udo afterward retreated into the hills and engaged in guerilla warfare.[lxii]

The Ordeal Begins

Demolition Team Advancing

As the Soldiers of the 7^th and 96^th Infantry Divisions felt their way south, they began to encounter resistance from Japanese outposts.  On 4 April 96^th Division’s advanced elements including the 96^th Recon Troop and 763^rd Tank Battalion encountered the first Japanese anti-tank defenses, losing 3 tanks to well concealed 47mm anti-tank guns.[lxiii] The following day both the 7^th and 96^th divisions encountered more resistance and were held to minimal gains as they drove the Japanese out of their outpost positions. On the 6^th and 7^th they captured “the Pinnacle” and “Cactus ridge” from elements of 3 independent infantry battalions which put up stiff resistance.[lxiv] By the end of 8 April against strong opposition XXIV Corps had suffered 1,510 battle casualties and was virtually halted.[lxv] Savage hand to hand fighting took place as the defenders worked to separate the American tanks from their infantry. They held the Americans outside the Shuri zone for 8 days.[lxvi]

The Human Cost of War: Marine Colonel Fenton prays for his Fallen Son

The 96^th Division attacked the heavily defended Kakazu Ridge and Tombstone Ridge and was repulsed.  The 7^th Division was halted at Hill 178.  The Japanese fought at close quarters and desperate hand to hand fighting “would characterize the Okinawa land battle.” While the Japanese infantry contested every yard “carefully concealed anti-tank guns seemed anchored into the terrain.”[lxvii] The deployment and concealment of the anti-tank guns helped nullify the American advantages in armor. The Japanese also employed 320mm spigot mortars[lxviii] and well sited machine guns and artillery sited on reverse slopes took a heavy toll of the attacking Americans. Of one company of 89 men which attacked Kakazu on 9 April “only three returned unwounded.”[lxix] Assisted by monsoon rains, “the Japanese turned every hill, every ridge into a bloody deathtrap.[lxx] On the 10^th two regiments of 96^th Division attempted a power drive with battalions advancing on line and were thrown back.[lxxi] The two divisions suffered 2.890 casualties in their abortive attacks while the Japanese lost close to 4,000, mainly to artillery fire.[lxxii] Ushijima’s defense planned by Yahara was “chillingly professional and efficient. Within a week the Japanese had stopped two very good Army divisions in their tracks.”[lxxiii] General Buckner paused sent for the 1^st and 6^th Marine Divisions and brought the 27^th and 77^th Divisions ashore to strengthen XXIV Corps.[lxxiv]

Counterattack

The War at Sea: Kamikaze Attack on USS Bunker Hill

It was at this point when “Yahara’s war of attrition was working well” that a division arose in the 32^nd Army Staff, when General Cho; Ushijima’s Chief of Staff had “his first outburst of samurai offensive fever.”[lxxv] Cho noted the failure of the American attacks and believed reports that the American Navy had been heavily damaged by Japanese air power and by the reported success of Operation Ten-Go, the sortie of the Yamato and her escorts on their suicide mission.  He based his optimism on a telegraph from Imperial Navy headquarters “claiming that Ten-go had been “very successful”[lxxvi] when in fact the Yamato and her escorts had been dispatched in hours by carrier aircraft with few American losses.  Cho also assumed a reduction in the number of ships in the Hagushi anchorage and in the number of air sorties as signs of American weakness.[lxxvii] Cho persuaded Ushijima to launch a counterattack over the protestations of Yahara who argued that “it would waste men.”[lxxviii] The attack by four battalions of the 62^nd and 24^th Divisions began the night of 12-13 April. Based on infiltration tactics and supported by artillery the attack was badly planned and coordinated. One attack almost overran American positions on the draw on Kakazu Ridge, but the Japanese return to “bamboo spear tactics” exposing them to the “overwhelmingly superior America artillery fire….”[lxxix] The attack was a “total failure.”[lxxx]The Japanese lost nearly 1,600 men, half their force in an “operation ill conceived, understrength, misdirected, haphazard and uncoordinated.”[lxxxi]

Cracking the Outer Line

Reinforced by the 27^th Division XXIV Corps prepared for another attack against the outlying Shuri defenses. In the interval between the Japanese attack and the new offensive the 77^th Division landed on Ie Shima on 16 April and secured it on the 24^th amid very heavy fighting killing over 4,700 Japanese, many armed civilians against the loss of 172 killed and 902 wounded Americans.[lxxxii] Among the American dead was legendary reporter Ernie Pyle.

The Americans aimed to penetrate the defenses and “seize the low valley linking Yonabaru on the east coast with the capital of Naha on the west.”[lxxxiii] The attack was supported by 27 battalions of artillery[lxxxiv] including 9 Marine artillery battalions.[lxxxv] Additional Naval gunfire support in the form of 6 battleships, 6 cruisers and 9 destroyers added to the rain of steel unleashed on the Japanese.[lxxxvi] Morison notes that Army historians stated that “Naval gunfire…was employed in greater quantities in the battle for Okinawa than in any other in history.”[lxxxvii] The 7^th Division was to take Hill 178 and drive south to the Naha Yonabaru road. 96^th Division minus the 383^rd Infantry was to “drive straight through the heart of the Shuri defenses seizing the town of Shuri and the highway beyond.”  27^th Division attacking 50 minutes later to take advantage of artillery was to take Kakazu ridge and the coast plain north of Naha.[lxxxviii]

The attack began on April 19^th and was preceded by a 19,000 shell bombardment.[lxxxix] Ushijima wisely ordered his men to remain in their caves.  The Corps Artillery commander “doubted as many as 190 Japanese…had been killed in the bombardment.”[xc] The attack was immediately halted all along the line, gains, where there were any were measured in yards. Over 750 casualties were inflicted by the Japanese on the corps and 27^th Division’s tank battalion lost 22 of 30 tanks to well positioned 47mm anti-tank guns.[xci] Buckner rejected the requests of the Corps commander Hodge and the Marine divisional commanders,[xcii] to launch a flanking amphibious operation at Minatoga with the 2^nd Marine Division, and continued the frontal attacks.  John Toland writing of the rejection of the amphibious operation noted that Ushijima “feared such a maneuver (“It would bring a prompt end to the fighting”) and had already been forced to move his “rear guard division north to beef up the Shuri line.”[xciii] Thus the three divisions continued to press their attacks, suffering heavy casualties.  Eventually the Americans forced the Japanese off Skyline ridge[xciv] though the Japanese still held Kakazu.[xcv] When the 27^th Division attacked again it found Kakazu abandoned by the Japanese.[xcvi] By the 24^th Ushijima’s line was “pierced in so many places that it was in danger of collapsing….So General Ushijima withdrew to his next chain of defenses.”[xcvii] On April 30^th the 1^st Marine Division relieved the battered 27^th Division which had suffered 2,661 casualties in less than two weeks.”[xcviii] The 1^st Marine Regiment launched an attack on 1 May and was driven back with heavy causalities.[xcix]

General Cho’s Final Offensive

General Cho supported by 62^nd Division’s commander, General Fujioka persuaded Ushijima over the strenuous objections of Yahara to launch a counter-offensive with the intention of isolating and annihilating the 1^st Marine Division and “rolling up” XXIV Corps.[c] The attack was to occur along the entire line and include an amphibious landing behind American lines.[ci] The 62^nd Division would take the lead as it had been less heavily engaged than 24^th Division.[cii] Yahara argued his case strongly and warned the Ushijima that to attack “is reckless and will lead to an early defeat.”[ciii] The attack began on the night of 3 May and the forces making the amphibious landing were annihilated by the Marines.[civ] The Japanese made little headway during the main attack; one battalion achieved a small penetration of American lines at Tanabaru but was eliminated the next day.[cv] The Japanese 27^th Tank Regiment lost most of its tanks and those remaining were used as “stationary artillery and pillboxes.”[cvi] The Japanese lost about 5,000 troops in the offensive.[cvii] Ushijima halted it and told Yahara “as you predicted this offensive has been a total failure.  Your judgment was correct….”  He ordered Yahara “to do whatever you feel is necessary.”[cviii] Cho saw “no hope at all”[cix] and asked Yahara jokingly “when will it be okay for me to commit hari-kari?” [cx]

Göttdammerung

The American offensive resumed on 11 May and amid stubborn Japanese defense and heavy rains which hindered movement. The 1^st and 6^th Marine Divisions[cxi] and the 77^th and the 96^th infantry divisions attacked along the line but the primary objective was Shuri.[cxii] The Americans continued to apply pressure and make small gains against strong Japanese resistance put up by the 44^th Mixed Brigade.  The defense was particularly strong on Sugar Loaf Hill[cxiii] which cost 6^th Marine Division nearly 4,000 total casualties before it was cleared out on 21 May.[cxiv] The 96^th Division turned the Japanese east flank at Conical Hill on the 13^{th  [cxv]} while the First Marine Division cracked through the Japanese lines at Dakeshi Ridge.  It fought through Wana Ridge[cxvi] and engaged the Japanese in a costly battle in the Wana Draw. The 2^nd Battalion 5^th Marines supported by 30 tanks blasted their way through the draw, again against brutal Japanese resistance.[cxvii] On the 22^nd Yahara persuaded Ushijima to withdraw from Shuri to the Kiyan Peninsula.[cxviii] The 1^st Battalion 5^th Marines crossed the divisional boundary of 77^th Division to capture Shuri Castle on 24 May.[cxix] The Company commander, from South Carolina who took it did not have an American flag so he “substituted the flag of the Confederacy, a banner that he…carried in his helmet.” [cxx] Two days later the American flag was raised along with the standard of the 1^st Marine Division in full view of the Japanese.[cxxi]

Following the Japanese withdraw from Shuri the battle continued with heavy rains hampering both sides, especially the more vehicle dependant Americans.[cxxii] The 6^th Marine Division cleared the Oruku Peninsula south of Naha the first two weeks of June[cxxiii] killing 5,000 of the Japanese Navy defenders at a cost of 1,608 Marines. The Japanese resistance crumbled when Admiral Ota committed suicide and many defenders fled while others surrendered.[cxxiv] 7^th Division pushed onto the Chinen Peninsula and 1^st Marine and both 77^th and 96^th Infantry Divisions pushed steadily south against Japanese rear-guards.[cxxv] The 8^th Marines from 2^nd Marine Division were brought to the island to reinforce the depleted 3^rd Amphibious Corps[cxxvi] A hard fight was fought along the Kunishi-Yuza-Yaeju escarpment where the Japanese conducted their last organized defense.[cxxvii] By the 17^th the “32^nd Army was dazed and shattered. Discipline had evaporated.”[cxxviii] The 32^nd Army’s discipline and morale collapsed, and it “degenerated into a mob.”[cxxix] Yahara noted that “naturally, morale is low at the end of a battle, but we had never experienced anything like this.”[cxxx]

Lt General Buckner (Right) Observing 8th Marines Assault minutes before Being Killed

General Buckner was killed while observing 8^th Marines attack Kunishi on the 18^th and was succeeded by General Geiger of the Marine amphibious corps.[cxxxi] A final message from Tokyo congratulated 32^nd Army on its achievements on the 20^th.[cxxxii] General Ushijima and General Cho committed Hari-Kari early on the 23^rd after ordering Yahara not to do so. Cho told Yahara “to bear witness as to how I died.”[cxxxiii]

American battle casualties totaled 49,151 including 12,520 dead.[cxxxiv] The Japanese lost over 110,000 killed and 7,400 taken prisoner by the Americans.[cxxxv] About 75,000 Okinawan civilians were killed.[cxxxvi] Small numbers of Japanese renegades and Okinawan rebels conducted low-level guerilla operations until 1947.[cxxxvii]

Analysis

The key Japanese mistake occurred at the strategic level when 9^th Division was transferred off the island[cxxxviii] and no further reinforcements were sent.  With these forces Ushijima might have been able to hold out until the end of hostilities. Yahara criticized Imperial Headquarters which panicked when the landings occurred and ordered a counterattack which “left our army in utter confusion.”[cxxxix] General Ushijima’s major mistakes during the battle were the two costly offensives urged by General Cho against the protest of Colonel Yahara. These attacks sacrificed of some of his best troops for no effect and significantly weakened the 32^nd Army’s defensive posture.  Yahara objected to both of these offensives. According to the American intelligence debriefing Yahara considered the May 4^th offensive “as the decisive action of the campaign.”[cxl] Gordon Rottman simply called that attack a “blunder.”[cxli]

On the American side Buckner fought an unimaginative and uninspired battle, much like Mark Clark’s Italian campaign or Courtney Hodges at the Huertgen Forrest.  Murray and Millett, note that Buckner’s “flawed generalship contributed to the slaughter.”[cxlii] Buckner’s decision not to land the 2^nd Marine Division or the 77^th Division at Minatoga surrendered his one opportunity to maneuver against the Japanese to force them out of their prepared positions.[cxliii] Ronald Spector notes that “in retrospect Buckner ought to have given more consideration to an amphibious attack[cxliv] while Murray and Millett state that Buckner “did not have the experience to make such a critical decision.”[cxlv] Nimitz wondered if “the Army was using slow, methodical tactics to save the lives of soldiers at the expense of the Navy”[cxlvi] which was exposed to Kamikaze attacks as they had to continue to provide the close in support to 10^th Army. Buckner’s rejection of this opportunity left him with the straight ahead attack.   Another option which was available to Buckner was to seal off the Japanese and let them wither on the vine. Such an action in effect would have bypasses the Japanese defenders and force them to make Banzai attacks against dug in Americans.[cxlvii] The Americans had the airfields on day one and most of the key facilities needed for future operations and there was little to gain by continuing offensive operations in the south.  Sealing off the Japanese would have certainly caused the Americans fewer casualties than the strategy which Buckner employed.[cxlviii]

Buckner’s leadership was poor his strategy and tactics both unimaginative and foolish bordering on incompetent.  In a time when American infantry replacements were tapped out and no new Infantry divisions were available for action he decimated good formations by throwing them into frontal attacks against well prepared fortified positions manned by experienced troops.  Had Ushijima not followed General Cho’s advice squandering is own troops the battle would have cost even more American lives with the invasion of Japan looming.  The War Department in its attempt to wrest control of an operation that should have remained under the control of the Navy and Marine Corps put the wrong man in the job when other more competent corps commanders such as General “Lighting Joe” Collins who had finished off the Japanese at Guadalcanal were available with European hostilities winding down.  Why Buckner was chosen despite his incredibly limited command experience serving in the relatively inactive Aleutians and not even commanding a company in World War One had to be due to Army politics and in the end it cost nearly 50,000 American casualties on the land alone, not counting Navy casualties which totaled almost 10,000 including over 4,900 dead. The capture of Okinawa provided the Americans with valuable anchorages and airfields close to Japan had there been an invasion of the home islands, but they were obtained at great cost.

[ii] Leckie, Robert. Okinawa: the Last Battle in the Pacific Penguin Books, New York NY 1996. p.2.  Although not mentioned by Leckie this shortage of forces was due to the American decision to limit the Army to 90 Divisions with dire consequences in Europe and Asia especially in the number of infantry available.  For a good account of the impact of this see Russell Weigley’s Eisenhower’s Lieutenants.

[iii] Willmont, H.P. The Second World War in the Far East. John Keegan General Editor. Cassell Books, London, 1999. p.186.

[iv] Morison, Samuel Eliot. The Two Ocean War: A Short History of the United States Navy in the Second World War. An Atlantic Monthly Press Book, Boston MA 1963. p.525

[v] Ibid. Appleman. p.4

[vi] Costello, John. The Pacific War: 1941-1945 Quill Publishers, New York, NY 1981. p.554.

[vii] Murray, Williamson and Millett, Allan R. A War to Be Won: Fighting the Second World War.  The Belknap Press of Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. 2000. p.515

[viii] Ibid. Leckie. pp. 53-54.  Note Costello misidentifies both of these corps calling them 3^rd Marine Corps and XIV Army Corps.   He also does not count the 77^th Division in his figures.

[ix] Ibid. Costello. pp. 554-555.  Costello’s figures are slightly above the official estimates listed below.

[x] Ibid. Leckie. p.56

[xi] Ibid. Leckie. p.57 An important point to note is that the Army had reached a critical point in its ability to conduct the war.  The steady drain on infantry strength that began in Normandy was heightened in the Huertgen Forrest and the Bulge.

[xii] Ibid. Costello. p.556

[xiii] Ibid. Appleman. p.15

[xiv] Ibid. Costello. p.555

[xv] Yahara, Hiromichi. The Battle for Okinawa. Introduction and Forward by Frank Gibney. Translated by Frank Pineau and Masatoshi Uehara. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY. 1995. p.3

[xvi] Rottman, Gordon R. Okinawa 1945: The Last Battle. Osprey Publishing, Oxford, United Kingdom, 2002. p.35

[xvii] Ibid. Leckie. pp.31-32

[xviii] Ibid. Rottman. p.37

[xix] Toland, John. The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire 1936-1945. Random House, New York, NY 1970. p.683.

[xx] Ibid. Yahara. p.7

[xxi] Ibid. Rottman. Pp.47-48

[xxii] Ibid. Toland. pp.683-684.  Yahara also notes the arrival of the 15^th Mixed Brigade and the fact that the Japanese considered the 44^th Mixed Brigade “one of our Army’s prized units.” (p.12)

[xxiii] Ibid. Toland. p.683.  Leckie comments on the low opinion of many Japanese soldiers about the Boeitai calling them Bimbo Butai (Poor Detachment), as the most of the Japanese had come to loathe Okinawa and all things Okinawan. A comment from my own service in Okinawa in 2000-2001 is that this loathing of Okinawa by Japanese is still common, Japanese tend to look down on Okinawans and the Okinawans now tend to resent the Japanese.

[xxiv] Ibid. Appleman. p.87

[xxv] Ibid. Yahara. p.31 All sources note that the 24^th was a “well trained” division.

[xxvi] Ibid. Costello. p.555

[xxvii] Ibid. Yahara. p.15

[xxviii] Ibid. Yahara. pp. 14-15

[xxix] Ibid. Yahara. p.15

[xxx] Ibid. Yahara. pp. 20-22 and 32.  Yahara details the initial plan and the changes necessitated by the departure of 9^th Division.  Rottman gives 9^th Division a strength of 17,000. (Rottman p.46)

[xxxi] Ibid. Yahara. p.20

[xxxii] Spector, Ronald H. Eagle Against the Sun: The American War With Japan. The Free Press and Division of MacMillan, Inc. New York, NY 1985. p.533

[xxxiii] Ibid. Rottman. p.25

[xxxiv] Ibid. Leckie p.32 and Costello. p.555. The unit was between 3000 and 3500 strong. Leckie simply identifies the force as the 2^nd Infantry Unit while Costello identifies them as a Special Naval Landing Force. Appleman identifies Colonel Udo and the approximate number of troops but does not identify the unit. There appears to be confusion about the Japanese units, Appleman says that the 2^nd Infantry Unit was constituted from survivors of 44^th Mixed Brigade (which had lost most of its troops when their ship was sunk by an American submarine) and 15^th Independent Mixed Regiment which was brought in to bolster it, but Yahara consistently places the reconstituted 44^th in the south as part of the main defense. (see Appleman p.87) I will relay on Yahara as he was the 32^nd Army Operations Officer and in a position to have first hand knowledge.

[xxxv] Ibid. Yahara. pp.22-23

[xxxvi] Ibid. Leckie. p.32

[xxxvii] Ibid. Leckie. pp.32-33

[xxxviii] Ibid. Toland. p.684

[xxxix] Ibid. Yahara. p.32

[xl] Ibid. Yahara. p.25

[xli] Ibid. Leckie. p.35

[xlii] Ibid. Leckie. p.19

[xliii] Ibid. Appleman. pp.52-58

[xliv] Ibid. Appleman. p.60

[xlv] Potter, E.B. Nimitz. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, MD. 1976. p.369

[xlvi] Ibid. Costello. p. 556 and Morison p.530.

[xlvii] Ibid. Appleman. p.64. Leckie (pp. 67-68) names only 9 battleships: Arkansas, New York, Texas, Nevada, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, Tennessee and West Virginia. Of these ships all were built before the war and four were in commission before the US entered the First World War.  Three had been at Pearl Harbor and with the exception of their engines the Tennessee and West Virginia had been completely rebuilt and modernized to the standards of the fast new battleships of the South Dakota class.

[xlviii] Ibid. Appleman. p.64

[xlix] Ibid. Leckie. p.69.

[l] Ibid. Leckie. p.72

[li] Ibid. Appleman. p.74

[lii] Ibid. Leckie. p.73

[liii] Ibid. Appleman. p.75

[liv] Ibid. Appleman. p.74

[lv] Ibid. Leckie. p.72  A point to note is that the “Demonstration” is still one of the Amphibious Operations in the USMC Amphibious doctrine.

[lvi] Sledge, E.B. With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa. Presidio Press. Novato, CA. 1981. Oxford University Press Paperback, New York, NY 1990. pp. 187-188  William Manchester in Goodbye Darkness talks about the first few days as his 6^th Marine Division moved up North.  He talks of the minimal resistance and the beauty of the island. Manchester, William, Goodbye Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War Little Brown and Company, New York NY, 1979.pp.356-357

[lvii] Ibid. Potter. pp.370-371

[lviii] Ibid. Leckie. p.78

[lix] Ibid. Manchester. p.357.  Manchester notes that the fight in the north was like “French and Indian Warfare.”

[lx] Ibid. Appleman. p.148

[lxi] Ibid. Leckie. p.83

[lxii] Ibid. Appleman. p.148

[lxiii] Ibid. Appleman. p.104

[lxiv] Ibid. Appleman. pp.107-110

[lxv] Ibid. Appleman. pp.112-113.

[lxvi] Ibid. Appleman. p.112.

[lxvii] Ibid Yahara. p.35

[lxviii] Ibid. Leckie. p.104

[lxix] Ibid. Spector. p.534

[lxx] Ibid. Murray and Millet. p.514

[lxxi] Ibid. Appleman. pp. 126-127

[lxxii] Ibid. Leckie. pp.104-105

[lxxiii] Ibid. Murray and Millett. p.514

[lxxiv] Ibid. Murray and Millett. p.514

[lxxv] Ibid. Yahara. p.36

[lxxvi] Ibid. Leckie. p.108

[lxxvii] Ibid. Leckie. p.108

[lxxviii] Ibid. Yahara. p.36  The battle for a counter-offensive began on 6 April but was rejected. (Appleman. p.130)  Yahara actually went to the commanders of the 24^th and 62^nd divisions and persuaded them not to use 3 battalions each but only two. (Leckie. pp.107-108)

[lxxix] Ibid. Leckie. p.113

[lxxx] Ibid. Appleman. p.137

[lxxxi] Ibid. Leckie. p.113.

[lxxxii] Ibid. Appleman. p.182. Leckie gives the total of 258 killed and 879 wounded. (Leckie. p.125) and estimates that most might have been uniformed civilians.  Appleman citing Army figures estimates about 1,500 civilians.  Even adding the American MIA totals the differences between Appleman and Leckie’s count of US casualties is puzzling.

[lxxxiii] Ibid. Leckie. p.126

[lxxxiv] Ibid. Leckie. p.127

[lxxxv] Ibid. Appleman. p.185

[lxxxvi] Ibid. Leckie. p.127

[lxxxvii] Ibid. Morison. p.553

[lxxxviii] Ibid. Appleman. pp.184-185

[lxxxix] Ibid. Leckie. p.128

[xc] Ibid. Leckie. p.128

[xci] Ibid. Leckie. p.131 It is interesting to note the vulnerability of the Sherman tanks to the obsolescent 47mm anti-tank guns used by the Japanese.  By this stage of the war comparable German and Russian tanks would not be stopped by such weapons, baring a luck shot.

[xcii] Ibid. Murray and Millett. p.515

[xciii] Ibid. Toland. p.706

[xciv] Ibid. Toland. pp.708-709

[xcv] Ibid. Leckie. p.138

[xcvi] Ibid. Appleman. pp. 243 and 247

[xcvii] Ibid. Leckie. p.139

[xcviii] Ibid. Toland. p.709

[xcix] McMillan, George. The Old Breed: A History of the First Marine Division in World War Two. The Infantry Journal Inc., Washington DC. 1949. p.375

[c] Ibid. Leckie. pp.148-149

[ci] Ibid. McMillan. p.377

[cii] Ibid. Yahara. p.37

[ciii] Ibid. Toland. p.710

[civ] Ibid. Toland. p.710

[cv] Ibid. Appleman. p.299

[cvi] Ibid. Appleman. p.302

[cvii] Ibid. Appleman. p.302.  Rottman states 7,000 and Leckie 6,000.

[cviii] Ibid. Yahara. p.41

[cix] Ibid. Toland. p.712

[cx] Ibid. Yahara. p.42

[cxi] Ibid. Manchester. pp. 358-359. Manchester notes the distain that the Marines felt toward 27^th Division which both they and 1^st Marine Division had relieved in the south.  Manchester comments that they felt that “the dogfaces lacked our spirit.”

[cxii] Ibid. Rottman. p.80

[cxiii] See Manchester pp.363-378 for a chilling description of the battle for Sugar Loaf.

[cxiv] Ibid. Leckie. pp.172-173

[cxv] Ibid. Appleman. pp.355-356

[cxvi] Ibid. McMillan. pp.385-395. 7^th Marine Regiment suffered 1,249 casualties in this fight.

[cxvii] Ibid. Sledge. p.243

[cxviii] Ibid. Yahara. pp.67-73.  Yahara has an interesting account both listing the military options available and the interaction between him and the other officers leading tom the withdraw.  Among those he had to persuade were the divisional commanders of 24^th and 62^nd Divisions.

[cxix] Ibid. McMillan. p.401

[cxx] Ibid. McMillan. p.401

[cxxi] Ibid. Leckie. p.186

[cxxii] Ibid. Rottman. p.81

[cxxiii] Ibid. Rottman. p. 82  This included an amphibious landing by two regiments to flank the position which was the last opposed amphibious landing in the war.

[cxxiv] Ibid. Leckie. pp.199-200

[cxxv] Ibid. Rottman. p.83

[cxxvi] Ibid. Leckie. p.197  Leckie notes that the 2^nd Marine Division had been transported back to Saipan rather than remain at sea as a target for Kamikazes.  As a result the Marines had no reserve on the island.

[cxxvii] Ibid. Sledge. p.301

[cxxviii] Ibid. Toland p.721

[cxxix] Ibid. Appleman. p.456

[cxxx] Ibid. Yahara. p.133

[cxxxi] Ibid. Rottman. p.83

[cxxxii] Ibid. Yahara. p.144

[cxxxiii] Ibid. Yahara. pp.154-156.  Yahara would hide among refugees hoping that he might escape to Japan but was discovered by an interrogation panel and identified on 26 July. (Yahara pp.189-191)

[cxxxiv] Ibid. Appleman. p. 473 This includes Navy losses of 4,907 killed and 4,824 wounded, mostly to Kamikaze strikes on ships supporting the operation. 10^th Army lost 7,613 killed and 31,800 wounded. (Morison. p.556)

[cxxxv] Ibid. Appleman. pp473-474.  Other sources report Japanese losses at 65,000 to 70,000.  This may be from listing military civilians like those in the Naval Force and Okinawan militia as civilian casualties and only counting actually Japanese Army and Navy troops in this tally.  Costello gives a count of 10,755 prisoners; this could again be a tally including these civilians and auxiliaries. (Costello. p.578)  Rottman spends some time analyzing the discrepancies in the Japanese casualty numbers and comes to the same conclusion. (Rottman pp.84-85)

[cxxxvi] Ibid. Toland. p.726

[cxxxvii] Ibid. Rottman. p.85

[cxxxviii] Ibid. Yahara. p.31

[cxxxix] Ibid. Yahara. p.196.

[cxl] Ibid. Yahara. p.214

[cxli] Ibid. Rottman. p.73

[cxlii] Ibid. Murray and Millett. p.514

[cxliii] Ibid. Leckie. p.162

[cxliv] Ibid. Spector. p.535

[cxlv] Ibid. Murray and Millett. p.515

[cxlvi] Ibid. Potter. p.373

[cxlvii] Ibid. Leckie. p.162  Leckie does not know if this was considered by Buckner though the tactic was used throughout the “island hopping” campaign where Japanese strong points were bypassed and isolated to whither on the vine.

[cxlviii] Ibid. Leckie. p.162

Bibliography

Appleman, Roy, E., Burns, James M., Gugeler, Russell A., and Stevens, John. The United States Army in World War II, The War In the Pacific. Okinawa: The Last Battle, Center of Military History, United States Army. Washington DC. 1948

Costello, John. The Pacific War: 1941-1945 Quill Publishers, New York, NY 1981

Leckie, Robert. Okinawa: the Last Battle in the Pacific Penguin Books, New York NY 1996.

McMillan, George. The Old Breed: A History of the First Marine Division in World War Two. The Infantry Journal Inc., Washington DC. 1949.

Manchester, William, Goodbye Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War Little Brown and Company, New York NY, 1979

Morison, Samuel Eliot. The Two Ocean War: A Short History of the United States Navy in the Second World War. An Atlantic Monthly Press Book, Boston MA 1963

Murray, Williamson and Millett, Allan R. A War to Be Won: Fighting the Second World War.  The Belknap Press of Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. 2000.

Potter, E.B. Nimitz. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, MD. 1976.

Rottman, Gordon R. Okinawa 1945: The Last Battle. Osprey Publishing, Oxford, United Kingdom, 2002.

Sledge, E.B. With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa. Presidio Press. Novato, CA. 1981. Oxford University Press Paperback, New York, NY 1990.

Spector, Ronald H. Eagle Against the Sun: The American War With Japan. The Free Press and Division of MacMillan, Inc. New York, NY 1985.

Toland, John. The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire 1936-1945. Random House, New York, NY 1970.

Willmont, H.P. The Second World War in the Far East. John Keegan General Editor. Cassell Books, London, 1999.

Yahara, Hiromichi. The Battle for Okinawa. Introduction and Forward by Frank Gibney. Translated by Frank Pineau and Masatoshi Uehara. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY. 1995.

If you know me personally, or follow my blog, you probably know that some friends and I entered a contest called “The Best Trip in the World” put on by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.

It’s a contest that gave the opportunity for selected groups of bloggers to travel Taiwan for 4 days and blog about it.  We were one of the lucky groups selected and we completed our 4 day itinerary back in June. The final stage of the contest has arrived and we put our adventurers into a finale video, complete with a goofy music video at the end.

Remember that this was the first time any of us ever tried to put a video together and we had a blast!  We highly recommend that everyone get their friends together, plan a trip (to Taiwan, of course!), and make a fun video!

Also have a look at my friends’ websites about Taiwan:

Stu’s Taiwan Hiking Blog

and

Phil’s 老外的臺灣旅遊日記 (in Chinese)

Thanks again for all the support!
-neil

We love oolong teas and find the flavors so incredibly unique. They say no two oolongs are alike, and that may be what we like best about oolongs, always a surprise.

Oolong means “Black Dragon”. The Chinese tea growers thought the complex character of Oolong tea was similar to the spirit of this mythical creature.

The crafting of Oolong is an art form and the growing areas limited. Conditions have to be exact and great care is taken to maintain the surrounding environment of the tea plants. Like wine growing regions, the soil and humidity levels definite impact on the taste and complexity of the finished product.

Oolongs are referred to as semi-fermented or semi-oxidized teas. (see earlier post on oxidation / fermentation) They follow a similar process to black tea but with up to 60% less oxidation. This results in a tea with characteristics of both black and green tea.

Fujian province in China is the home of Oolong varieties of tea but production began in Taiwan during the 1850’s when tea planters from Fujian immigrated to the small island nation called Formosa. The Dung Ti Mountains in central Taiwan have very fertile slopes where some of the finest tea plantations produce excellent Oolong tea. Both of our Oolong teas are from Taiwan.

Our Dung Ding Oolong is entirely hand made and has a stunning rolled leaf producing a taste which is smoother than black tea but not as grassy as green. The result is a very well balanced tea with orchid like aroma and taste. Steep the leaves multiple times and give your taste buds an exciting journey along the way. Examine the leaves and you will see the oxidation that has occurred around the outer part of the leaf leaving the inside quite green. We highly recommend this tea which is easy to drink. Don’t forget that Oolong teas are great for raising your metabolic rate.

Our Orange Blossom Oolong produces quite a different taste profile. This is also a Taiwan Oolong which is wiry and lively with characteristics that are much closer to black. The addition of some Sri Lanka black tea gives added depth along with jasmine flowers and dried orange for a delicate floral finish. This tea is also very easy to drink and can be steeped multiple times giving a lighter color and flavor each steep.

Brewing Oolong Tea
It is recommended to rinse or flush Oolong leaves, that is pour water over leaves and immediately remove the hot water. We cannot bear to throw this lovely liquor away, and usually add it to a later steep. Then start with a 1-2 minutes steep and add additional steeping time after each infusion.

When preparing Orange Blossom we actually brew as a black tea, using boiling water, steeping for 4 minutes, then steeping a second time for 8 minutes and combine the two steeps for a multi-fusion.

For Dung Ding Oolong we use water around 194 degrees, steep for 2 minutes and drink! This is way too good to flush away in our opinion. For the next steep add 2 minutes and continue adding extra time till the entire flavor has been released.
As with all teas there are personal preferences so be playful and enjoy the process of discovering how you like your Oolong tea.

Cheers,
the tea lady

Almost done. Need to set up linkages, and hinge the surfaces. As you can see the paint melted the canopy some. I’ll be ordering a new one soon, and paint that with actual foam  safe paint, rather than spray paint (which I tested on  a scrap  piece, that  didn’t melt…).

Might have a maiden tomorrow at a local lake.

Nosso desafio era o seguinte: em um spot de 30 segundos, vender o novo conceito do cliente (“Receita de Economia”), apresentando a maior quantidade possível de informações sobre aquilo que o difencia.  Poderíamos, como ocorre com frequência com a nossa concorrência, optar pela solução mais fácil; no caso, usar o belíssimo áudio do comercial de TV como spot. Não nos contentamos com essa saída e decidimos inovar. Não apenas fazer um jingle, mas um jingle cantado à capela, sem a ajuda de instrumentos musicais, colocando no ar uma peça que surpreende e cativa.

Miguel el salteño llegó a la pensión en reemplazo de su hermano Santiago. Santiago duró un mes exacto en Córdoba. Apenas se fue comenzaron las posibles explicaciones del porqué no quiso buscar trabajo, creo que la mas acertada es que no pudo contra la ciudad; el ruido de los autos, el humo, las calles de asfalto e incluso vivir civilizadamente.

Su hermano Miguel, tiene el problema de vivir con otras personas. Desconozco si el vivió antes con otras personas que no fuera su familia, pero existen maneras propias de él que me hacen entender que su vida social no es muy desarrollada. Retraido, apático, violento e ignorante Miguel aun tiene ese problema de sentirse ofendido por cualquier cosa que un “citidano” no prefiera en sus gustos.

Las cosas en la pensión cambiaron bastante. Aun mi manera de relacionarme con el oscuro barrio es singular. Luego de aquel truculento asalto recibido hace mas de un mes, no me queda otra que andar por un solo pasaje de ida y vuelta. Nada de salidas nocturnas, nada de compras de ultima hora y ni hablar de querer visitar a alguien. Formosa desapareció de un día para otro. Pero poca importancia le doy a ella -a menos que yo tenga una importancia considerable en su vida, cosa que no es muy seguro.

Las chicas jujeñas tambien se fueron de la pensión. Un domingo en la mañana arreglaron sus cosas y se fueron a casa de su abuela. Mónica, la mujer de las zapatillas plateadas, aun piensa que ellas eran divinas. Para Cristian entonces, el escenario cambió radicalmente desde que se fueron ellas. Primero porque llegó su paisano Miguel con quien fue el primero en pelearse, segundo porque llego un jujeño y tercero, porque regreso un tercer personaje: Santiago el cordobés.

Fernando Gonzalez, como el tenista chileno, es un jujeño que vino por sin ningun motivo en especial. El punto principal es querer estudiar teatro el próximo año, pero no me ocnvence mucho ni a mi y aun poco a él. De aspecto desprolijo y desordenado, Fernando se ha encargado de liderar las últimas batallas contra Cristian, a quien considera un “pobretón agrandado”, y con el que ha tenido bastantes choques por el notorio egoismo de sus cosas en nuestra contra (una  práctica que aprendió de las jujeñas y de los antiguos integrantes de la pensión).

De esta manera, Cristián ha quedado solo en lo que alguna vez fue el centro de su propio show de estupidez e historias sin sentido. Es que si antes nos burlabamos con José- el Boliviano- de sus ficticias historias encerrados en el dormitorio, esta vez lo hacemos casi sin importar su presencia junto a Fernando. Por ello el salteño ha tenido que acercarse mas a mi con la sorpresiva noticia de que tengo una lap-top.

Es delicado el tema en general para mi despues e haber tenido un robo de mi celular y un mp3 player. Muy delicado, porque tengo miedo realmente si esta gente es confiable o no. José lo es, y Cristián hasta cierto punto (desconfio de su IQ), pero la gran pregunta es Fernando. El problema es que él será mi compañero de pieza despues que se vaya José para su país al nacimiento de su primer hijo.

Mas eso no es todo. La pensión ya tiene su espacio en mi vida. Me gusta por ahora y a la vez me atemoriza sobre el futuro casi inmediato; nuevas personas comenzaran a venir y, cuando eso suceda, ya no me sentiré seguro de mis cosas. De hecho ya no me siento cien por ciento seguro. Siempre estoy pensando en como lo voy hacer para salir a una hora prudente y regresar sin tener la necesidad de estar rogando para que no me pase nada.

Una manera de las que Cristian se me ha acercado es a través del lap-top y presentarme un nuevo sistema operativo como lo es Ubuntu 9.04. Me ha parecido de maravilla como agiliza el sistema en comparacion de Windows Vista. De hecho hay pocas cosas que extraño del sistema de Gates. Primero, el msn y es que, aunque nunca fui un acerrimo seguidor del chat, debo confesar que lo extraño y me hace falta para contactarme decentemente con mis amigos. Pidgin (la version Linux) aun no logro entenderla, y si es que la entiendo, entonces no me funciona como es debido. Otra cosa es tener de forma explícita los recursos sin la necesidad de “ver si existe una version para Linux” y, si existe, “ver si hay para Ubuntu”. La idea de ser una especie malherida de “hacker” poco me simpatiza por la sencilla razón que me enredo todo aun para lograr chatear. Sin embargo creo que no me rendiré hasta probar por completo a esto. Ahora si que logro entender algunas cosas que se me decian como misionero cuando uno le pide cambiar ciertas cosas a alguien por completo.

La filosofía propia de Linux me ha encantado. Esa cosa de que no hayan muchos que realmente lo sigan (creo que es el 3% de la población mundial) es algo que me ha llamado la atención de sobremanera (Creo que es una razón por la que me siento muy bien con ser mormón por ejemplo). Ese sentimiento de “exclusividad”, de que te cuesten mas las cosas o que es poco entendido me gustan mucho. Creo que todo esto es sorprendente. Ir contra la industria, ir contra el corazón mismo del capitalismo (indirectamente se que no es tan así), ir contra el multimillonario Bill Gates es algo que me interesa. Unirme al ejército de pocos.

Pero, por ahora no logro entrar al circulo por entero. Aún uso ambos sistemas hasta que encuentre soluciones a mis dudas. Meterme en el MSN, usar el Google Earth, tener el Chrome y que me ande bien, y tener mejor gráfica. Se que el Windows 7 será mucho mejor y a la vez me siento bien, porque los de Mac tienen algo mejor a eso, pero tienen que mirar desde un punto tan distante como el mío para conseguir las modas de internet. Me pregunto porque existen tantas diferencias si todos vamos para el mismo lado. Porque Linux tiene tantas versiones (se que hay cerebritos que quieren algo mejor), pero porque yodo esto tiene que pasar (no tenia idea de KDE no era lo mismo que Gnome, etc).

Y todo esto fue por aquel oscuro barrio donde no puedo decir que soy, porque llamo mucho la atencion y aqui eso se puede pagar caro ¿no sabe usted que el villero argentino se asusta si eso pasa?

The Formosa Adventurers got a write-up in today’s China Times!  We haven’t been able to find an online version, but if you can read Chinese, pick one up and check out page A10!  Woo Hoo!

Also, if you want to follow the Formosa Adventurers on Twitter, click the link below:

Update:

Este pequeño acrobático de GWS, para su tamaño y costo, es una verdadera maravilla. De construcción sencilla y adaptación al vuelo inmediata gracias a su predecible conducta, difícilmente no conquiste el entusiasmo de quien lo vuele.

 Kit y armado

 El kit está hecho en telgopor (foam), viene completo con accesorios y es de buena calidad. El foam en este tamaño de modelos es más resistente y reparable que la balsa, aunque no tan vistoso. El kit puede, o no, incluir un motor brushed con reductora, siendo una buena inversión colocarle un motor brushless de hasta 65g de peso. Además se necesitará de 3 o 4 micro-servos de buena calidad, un ESC y un micro-receptor. El kit viene con un muy buen manual que trae gran cantidad de fotos en colores que acompañan las instrucciones paso a paso.

 Si bien el armado es laborioso es muy agradable, y ciertamente cada hora empleada rinde su fruto en vuelo. Se debe tener cuidado de usar tanto adhesivos como pinturas que no deterioren el foam. Como en casi todos los modelos pequeños el tren de aterrizaje es un punto débil. Yo opté por usar un anclaje con base de terciada mas un tren débil de aluminio, tal que sirva de fusible, en lugar de reforzar el original y que se rompa por otro lado ante un eventual “panzazo”. He visto también que en lugar de despegar del suelo, algunos lo lanzan con la mano y lo aterrizan sin tren sobre el pasto, esto requerirá usar un porta-hélice especial. Por ser pequeño, es muy recomendable usar un esquema y colores de pintado bien diferentes entre la parte superior y la inferior (cosa que lamento no haber hecho desde un primer momento). Del armado lo mas difícil, como siempre, es lograr que el grupo de cola quede bien pegado y derecho, para esto primero presenté todo, y luego fijé las superficies con epoxi de 45 minutos, tal que me permitiese correcciones durante el secado. El pack lo fijé con velcro, al igual que el receptor, y los servos van pegados, como es común en estos modelos.

 Modificaciones y mejoras

 Particularmente he realizado las siguientes mejoras al modelo (si, lo reconozco… soy incapaz de armar un modelo siguiendo las instrucciones al pié de la letra).

Coloqué un servo por alerón, esto hace más firme el mando y permite usar el diferencial de la radio. Cambié el tren delantero, originalmente montado por separado en cada semi-ala, por el tradicional de aluminio unido al fuselaje. Se cubrió el ala con film termo-contraíble de muy baja temperatura. Reforcé el fuselaje con varillas de pino de 1×4. Monté un motor brushless sobre cuatro tarugos de 5mm tal que se hunda ante un golpe salvaguardando al motor. Incrementé la superficie del timón un 40% agregando atrás una plaquita de foam. Tanto en el elevador como en los alerones hice móvil toda la superficie (en el original los extremos son fijos). Reforcé el sistema de sujeción del ala usando un tornillo de nylon de mayor diámetro que ajusta sobre una tuerca unida a un travesaño de balsa de 4mm. Realice una perforación longitudinal en la parte posterior de la cabina a fin de ventilar mejor el ESC. También aumenté y mejoré la entrada de aire de refrigeración. Por último pinté el fuselaje en lugar de usar las calcomanías y agregué al ala calcos color fluo que hacen al modelo muy visible aún en días nublados.

 En vuelo

 Hoy mi Formosa posee mas de 180 vuelos, y desde el primero me sorprendió gratamente, ya que se comporta como un avión de mucho mayor tamaño, con buen desempeño frente a vientos cruzados y con una velocidad de crucero bien baja. Si bien casi no requirió trimado, como en cada vuelo uso packs de diferente peso y forma casi siempre debo picar o llamar un par de clics.

Los despegues los hago cortos porque el carreteo no es muy bueno, ya que va pegado al suelo y las ruedas son pequeñas. Los aterrizajes son muy francos, pudiendo hacerse en tres puntos.

Responde muy bien al timón, mantiene el invertido con muy poco picado, y la rata de rolido puede ser frenética. No sostiene bien el filo de cuchillo debiéndose compensar alerones y profundidad, y este si es un punto débil que puede tomar por sorpresa al piloto. Yo utilicé en promedio -35% de exponencial en los mandos, y “dual-rate” al 80%, esto último solo por si había sorpresas pero no las hubo. La incidencia del motor, tanto a derecha como negativa, debieron ser  ajustadas luego de sucesivas pruebas. El modelo no realiza cómodamente maniobras 3D, tendiendo a salirse de ellas y volviendo a una posición de vuelo nivelado.

 La autonomía es de 7~8 minutos con la Lipo de 1300mA y una 10×5 (hélice de invierno), subiendo a 8~9 minutos si usamos una 9×4,5 APC-E (hélice de verano), quedando en ambos casos un par de minutos de reserva, y como siempre sin “hervir” ningún componente. Pero para lograr esto es importante que las lipo sean de al menos 25C de descarga continua y que el variador esté sobrado. La potencia con esta configuración alcanza para trepar en la vertical, pero no para acelerar sobre ella.

 Superado el prejuicio que para algunos representa tener modelo de “telgopor”, podremos ver que el conjunto no es costoso, es pequeño, transportable (gracias al ala removible), es limpio, durable, y  predecible en vuelo. No es un avión entrenador y tampoco un F3A pura sangre, queda claro, pero si es una buena plataforma para experimentar las primeras acrobacias o divertirse al terminar la tarde. Y si se cae, un poco de epoxi y paciencia hacen milagros.

 Felices vuelos y mejores aterrizajes

 Ficha Técnica

Marca y modelo: Formosa 1 de GWS

Tipo: Acrobático eléctrico

Envergadura: 90cm

Superficie: 16,5 dm2

Peso total: 560g

Motor: Hacker 20-20L (57g, 1022rpm/V)

Hélices: 9×4,5 APC-E o 10×5 APC-E

ESC: 30 A programable

Batería: lipo 3S-2P de 1000mA o 1300mA 20-30C

Equipo: receptor FM doble conversión de 17g, 2 servos de 12g, 2 servos de 8g (alerones)

A few years ago I had a meeting at the Hilton. When the meeting was scheduled, I politely declined directions because I am a male and we do not require geographic assistance to get anywhere. I jumped on the subway and confidently strolled down the sidewalk secure in the knowledge that my planning would have me enter the revolving door at the absolute minute of our appointment.  Just a few steps away my heart skipped a beat and I went cold. What had formerly been a Hilton was now a Westin.

I stammered and stuttered to the doorman.

“Hilton?” I pleaded almost silently.

“Two blocks south and 5 blocks east” he answered.

“Hilton?” I again murmured pathetically.

“Changed names about three months ago.” He added, before assisting someone else.

I sprinted off to my meeting, arriving breathless and late. I learned a very valuable lesson that day. No, not about accepting directions or consulting maps – don’t be silly! I learned that even hotels can change names…just as cities, countries and even rock stars formerly known as Prince, can.

Author Harry Campbell has just penned a book entitled “Whatever Happened to Tanganyika? The Place Names that History Left Behind” which investigates the phenomenon of countries changing their names and the fascinating stories behind place names like Affpiddle of the Islands of Samson and the Ducks. As an inveterate traveller it’s always good to keep up with current affairs and geography so that you don’t pass up a ticket to Mumbai because you’d rather see Bombay.

Here’s a little test just to see how map-literate you are. Below are 20 former place names. All you have to do is provide the name by which the following are currently known.

1. Leningrad
2. The Trucial States
3. Ruanda-Urundi
4. Ceylon
5. Abyssinia
6. British Honduras
7. Dutch East Indies
8. Gold Coast
9. Constantinople
10. Aden
11. Portuguese Guinea
12. Stalingrad
13. Nyasaland
14. New Amsterdam
15. Dutch Guyana
16. Mesopotamia
17. Berlin, Ontario
18. Upper Volta
19. Formosa
20. Bechuanaland

Answers: 1. St Petersburg   2. United Arab Emirates  3. Rwanda and Burundi    4. Sri Lanka   5. Ethiopia   6.  Belize   7. Indonesia   8. Ghana   9. Istanbul   10. Yemen   11. Guinea-Bissau   12. Volgograd   13. Malawi   14.  New York City   15. Suriname   16. Iraq   17. Kitchener   18. Burkina Faso   19. Taiwan   20. Botswana

How did you do?

16-20: If you’d lived in Atlantis, it would never have become the Lost City

11-15: Where were you when Shackleton needed you?

6-10: Not bad, but I bet you still confuse Moldova and Moldavia, don’t you?

0:    Are you a friend of Wrong-Way Corrigan, by chance?

Post by:  Simon Vaughan © 2009