Japan's island defenses aimed to buy time and wear down a larger enemy. Early attempts to hold the beaches exposed troops and positions to the battleships and cruisers supporting American landings. Defenders moved inland, where naval firepower could do less to overwhelm them. The object remained attrition: the defenses had to increase the cost of the advance even when they could not prevent a landing.
Chapter · 1:58:48-2:05:06
Japan moved island defenses inland to pursue attrition
Japanese defenders moved inland to reduce the effect of American naval bombardment and make each advance more costly.