The largest Kamikaze - Yamato

[Snattlerake]

Of all of the books I have read and stories I have listened to about Okinawa in WW II, I have never heard this story.

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2...ression of American,she never got the chance.
The world’s largest warship met an inglorious end trying to stop the American invasion on Japan’s doorstep

The plan, known as Operation Ten-Go, required the Second Fleet to sail to Okinawa, beach itself at the Hagushi roadstead on Okinawa in front of the advancing Americans, fire their guns until all ammunition was exhausted, and then join the ground fighting.

Led by the Yahagi and surrounded by the destroyers, the Yamato headed south to Okinawa; they were expected to arrive on April 9. That their mission was suicidal was made clear by the fact that they had only enough fuel to reach Okinawa, and none to return to Japan. The ships also had no air cover for this mission.

The Yamato never made it to Okinawa.

 

[RickN]

Yep. Japan built that ship and her sister hoping for the ultimate battleship shootout. Never happened. If I remember correctly (may be wrong) her sister was sunk by a sub and Japan was in bad shape without enough trained pilots, escort ships, etc, etc and was just hoping to go out with glory. That is the major reason we nuked Japan, because we believed they would not surrender without even more loss of life on both sides.

EDIT: Sorry I was wrong. It was the third sister, the one converted to a carrier that was sunk by a sub. The other battleship was by carrier aircraft.

 

[HoLeChit]

The Japanese were/are some pretty ruthless folks, who definitely carry around some big brass ones, that’s for sure.

 

[Perplexed]

The ship received only enough fuel for a one-way trip on her final voyage - and everyone on board knew it.

 

[Buddhaman]

Desperate times and a grandiose attempt to show power. Similar to Germany and their railway guns and supersized tanks. It signaled the end of battleships as airplanes were able to do significant damage from a distance without as much risk.