How B-29s Reduced The Kamikaze Threat

Enough to Turn the Tides of the War?

Was the B-29 bombing campaign targeting the Japanese plane industry responsible for saving around 90 Allied ships from kamikaze attacks?

According to a 1945 air staff report, its B-29 bombing campaign denied Japan approximately 6,800 aircraft that could have been otherwise used in the Okinawa campaign. The 20th Army Air Force dropped at least around 15,000 tons of bombs during WWII.

The report speculated if these planes were deployed as kamikaze strike aircraft during the Okinawan campaign it might have delayed the war’s end date.

In the data presented in the video, while it seems reasonable that had the 6,800 planes been available for kamikaze sorties, the Okinawan may have turned out quite differently. Still, we’re not sure if it was enough to turn the tides of the war, though!

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments!