Jeff Shaara. The Final Storm: A Novel of the War in the Pacific.
New York: Ballantine Books, 2011.
As reviewed by Ted Odenwald
Okinawa was the last stepping stone for American forces as they anticipated invading Japan and eventually ending World War II. But the stepping stone became a major stumbling block-a series of gruesome, bloody battles that yielded horrendous numbers of casualties for both sides. The Americans drew several conclusions from Okinawa, the most important being that the invasion of Japan would be prohibitively costly, for the fanatical enemy appeared willing to defend all of its territories to the last person. Consequently, the U.S. leadership decided to us the atom bomb to force Japan into submission.
Shaara’s approach to describing the close of the war in the Pacific is similar to his methods in all of his historical novels. He traces the key sequence of events through the respective points of view of individuals on each side of the conflict, the type of experience depending upon the individual’s rank, military assignment, or political position. Each character actually existed, though the author took liberties in creating dialogues and in formulating the thoughts of each individual.
Marine PFC Clay Adams receives the most attention throughout the novel; the Marines were involved in all aspects of the three-month conflict to take Okinawa-from the relatively easy sweep into the northern sections of the island, to the hellacious assaults upon the cave-filled mountains in the south. The Japanese defenses were so well dug-in that bombardments from the fleet and from planes had only superficial impact; the task of breaking the enemy fell upon the Marines. As Marine units were pinned down on the mountain slopes by seemingly endless fire from snipers, Nambu machine guns, and “knee mortars,” a large number of officers and NCO’s were killed, leaving the enlisted man-the common man-to fend for himself in mud-filled trenches, which emitted the foul odors of the unburied dead and mutilated and human excrement. Shaara explores the bravery of Adams and his squad members in spite of understandable stress and fear, as well as illness and limited supplies.
Shaara devotes chapters to Admiral Chester Nimitz, the commander in charge of the combined naval, air, and land forces attacking Okinawa. In these chapters, the author reveals the significance of this battle in the context of the wave of allied victories that are inevitable because of the annihilations of Japan’s regular air force and navy. It is obvious to Nimitz that while America will win, the victory will not be easy; the enemy’s refusal to surrender on land, and their use of Kamikaze planes give ample evidence that the Japanese would rather die than surrender. Shaara also emphasizes the political complexities that Nimitz must tune into in order to assure harmonious relations among the service leaders and politicians.
On the other side of the battlefield (or rather, deep within the mad-made caves in the mountains), are Generals Mitsuru Ushijima and Isamu Cho, and Colonel Hiromichi Yahara, each of whom appears to represent a different viewpoint that will help westerners understand these formidable opponents. General Cho, the second in command, claims to espouse the spirit of the Samurai, who embrace death-with-honor. He continually presses to have his forces engage in an all-out suicide attack, abandoning whatever advantages his outstanding defensive positions have given him in order to die in a blaze of glory. Colonel Yahara creates a masterful defense strategy for his leader, only to be overruled and driven into inevitable defeat. General Ushijima seems to have an acute overview of the situation. He knows that the war is all-but-lost-lost by the foolish military leaders who had overextended their forces in trying to conquer the entire Pacific. He knows that Okinawa will be his last command-that he will die in combat. But his obligation is to fulfill his duty-to delay the enemy advance as long as possible and to allow his forces to perish in honor and glory. Additionally, he understands how the American character measures up against the Japanese; he views American “humanitarianism” and compassion as weaknesses-the American warrior will not willingly sacrifice himself or his compatriots.
In the last third of the novel, Shaara turns to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The focus is now primarily upon President Harry Truman, Colonel Paul Tibbets, Japanese Field Marshall Shonroku Hata, and Dr. Okiro Hamishita. Truman, recently inheriting the presidency upon the death of FDR, also inherited the responsibility of determining whether to use the world’s most powerful weapon against a virtually defenseless city, or to wait to see if the Japanese moderates would overrule the fanatical military leaders; the intensity of battles such as Okinawa, Guam, and Iwo Jima confirmed for Truman the fact that there could be no easy solution. Millions of lives could be saved by avoiding an invasion; but hundreds of thousands would be sacrificed if the bombs were dropped. Field Marshall Hata, the chief military leader in Hiroshima, appears to be presented to support the correctness of Truman’s decision. Determined to make American invaders pay for every inch of soil they took, Hata was developing a home-guard in which all civilians would become warriors, protectors of their country. Even after the bomb was dropped, destroying most of Hiroshima, including his headquarters and staff, Hata refused to face the logical but humiliating conclusion of surrender. Dr. Hamishita’s dedication to healing and caring for people in his clinic adds to the truly tragic side of the bombing. A humanitarian, who would not be ruled by the dictates of the military fanatics, Dr. Hamashita suffered the loss of his clinic, his entire practice, and his wife; he succumbed to radiation poisoning two weeks after the bombing. Colonel Tibbets, the commander of Enola Gay, comes across as a model military figure; a highly accomplished flier as well as an intelligent leader, he is a career officer, business-like and professional in carrying out every aspect of his challenging mission. He shuns the notoriety that comes with his historic action, preferring the obscurity of his everyday job.
The Final Storm emphasizes, as do all of Shaara’s novels, that while there may be glory in victories, warfare is ugly and brutal-that all sides must share the responsibilities of barbarism-but that all sides also have unsung heroes who have endured man-made hells.
Ted Odenwald and his wife, Shirley have lived in Oakland for 40 years. He taught HS English at Glen Rock High School for all of those years plus one more. Now he is enjoying time spent with his family, singing in the North Jersey Chorus and quenching his wanderlust. Ted is also the Worship Leader at the Ramapo Valley Baptist Church in Oakland.