Hiromichi Yahara Defense of Okinawa . Yahara , who had taught strategy at the Army War College , was assigned to Okinawa prior to the anticipated American invasion to organize its pre - invasion strategy . His recommended strategy for fighting the American invaders was to continue to tie up the American military as long as possible in a war of attrition ( jikyūsen , 持久戦 ) , so that the rumored American invasion of Kyūshū , Japan , would be delayed , thereby allowing Kyushu defenders more time to better prepare their defenses . Once the Okinawa invasion started , Yahara recommended holding back Japanese forces for as long as possible and using them primarily in a defensive posture , rather than an aggressive one . However , Chief of Staff of the Army , Lieutenant General Isamu Cho , soon became frustrated by the relative inaction of the battlefield , and recommended “ banzai ” charges at the Americans . Yahara disagreed with this recommendation , but went along with it . But when it was clear that Cho ’ s samurai - charge methods were not working , but , rather , causing huge numbers of casualties among the Japanese infantry , along with loss of territory , Cho relented and allowed Yahara to continue to make tactical and operational decisions . Yahara ’ s methods , since he did not have the firepower to fight the Americans directly in battle and knew that he could not possibly win , was to fight from caves as long as possible , and then , once the caves were lost , to “ retreat and defend ” — time after time — until there was no longer any room to retreat to . Yahara escapes . Lieutenant General Cho and Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima , ordered Yahara to escape from the Mabuni caves after they had committed ritualistic suicide , despite Yahara ' s pleas to committ " seppuku " alongside the two generals . This he did , disguised as a Japanese English teacher . This disguise worked well for him on the island , but eventually he was recognized by the U . S . military and made a prisoner - of - war with privileges due his rank . Literary contribution . After the war Yahara wrote his account of the battle . His " Okinawa Kessen " ( " Battle for Okinawa " ) , first published in Japan ese in 1973 , was an account of his first - hand experience directing Japanese operations on Okinawa during the invasion . He died in 1981 . Yahara chronology . 1902 – Born . Son of a small country landowner in Tottori Prefecture ( Japan ) . Won appointment to the Military Academy . 1923 – Graduated from Military Academy . Assigned to 54th Infantry Regiment . 1925 – Assigned to 63rd Infantry Regiment . 1926 – Entered Army War College . 1929 – Graduated from War College . Returned to the 63rd Regiment . 1930 – Assigned to Personnel Department of the War Ministry . 1933 – Sent to the United States as an exchange officer . Traveled Wilmington , Delaware , Boston , Massachusetts , Washington , D . C . Attached to the 8th Infantry Regiment for six months at Fort Moultrie . 1935 – Returned to Personnel Department , War Ministry . 1937 – Appointed as instructor ( strategy and tactics ) at the Army War College . Spent three months in China as staff officer with the 2nd Army ( N . China Expeditionary Force ) . 1938 – Returned to Army War College as instructor . 1940 – September : assigned as Japanese agent to Siam , Burma , Malaya . November – December : reported to General Staff as expert on southeast Asia . 1941 – July : to Bangkok as Assistant Military Attaché . November 15 : received secret orders to staff of 15th Army ( Saigon ) . Remained at Bangkok and participated in the negotiations for the peaceful occupation of Siam . Then participated in the Burma operation with the 15th Army . Became ill and returned to Japan . Again assigned to the War College as instructor . 1944 – 16 March : Assigned to Okinawa as advisor from Imperial Staff . 32nd Army Headquarters soon formed ( March 22 , 1944 ) and assigned as Senior Staff Officer . 1945 – July 15 : captured by American military at the Yakibu Civilian Compound . 1981 – Died . Interrogator comments . “ Quiet and unassuming , yet possessed of a keen mind and a fine discernment , Colonel Yahara is , from all reports , an eminently capable officer , described by some POWs as the “ brains ” of the 32d Army . ” Further reading . For more information on Yahara , see Yahara biographer Takeshi Inagaki ' s book :