Operation Kikusui I and Andrés Bonifacio: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox Military ConflictPerson

|name=Andrés Bonifacio

|conflict=Operation Ten-Go

|partoflived=the [[PacificNovember War|Pacific30]] Theater[[1863]] of– [[WorldMay War10]], II[[1897]]

|placeofbirth=[[Tondo]], [[Manila]]

|image=[[Image:Battleship Yamato sinking.jpg|300px|Yamato sinking from the aft.]]

|placeofdeath=[[Maragondon, Cavite|Maragondon]], [[Cavite]]

|caption=[[Japanese battleship Yamato|''Yamato'']] under attack. A large fire burns [[aft]] of her [[superstructure]] and she is low in the water due to damage from [[torpedo]]es.

|image=[[Image:Gat_Andres_Bonifacio.jpg|200px]]

|date=[[7 April]] [[1945]]

|caption=A photo engraving of Andrés Bonifacio

|place=[[Pacific Ocean]], between [[Kyushu]], [[Japan]] and [[Ryukyu Islands]]

|nickname=

|result=[[United States of America|U.S.]] victory

|allegiance= [[Katipunan]]

|combatant1=[[United States]]

|serviceyears=

|combatant2=[[Japan]]

|rank= Revolution leader

|commander1=[[Marc A. Mitscher]]

|commands=

|commander2=[[Seiichi Ito]]†

|unit=

|strength1=11 aircraft carriers<br>386 aircraft

|battles= [[Philippine Revolution]]

|strength2=1 battleship<br>1 light cruiser<br>8 destroyers

|awards=

|casualties1=10 aircraft destroyed<br>12 dead

|laterwork=

|casualties2=1 battleship sunk<br>1 light cruiser sunk<br>4 destroyers sunk<br>3,700 dead

}}

{{Campaignbox Ryukyus}}

{{about|the person Andrés Bonifacio|other uses|Bonifacio (disambiguation)}}

'''Operation Ten-Go''' (天号作戦 ''ten-gō sakusen''), sometimes referred to as ''Ten'ichigo'' (meaning ''Heaven number-one''), was the last major [[Japan]]ese [[Navy|naval]] [[military operation|operation]] in the [[Pacific War|Pacific campaign]] of [[World War II]]. It took place on [[April]] [[7]],[[1945]]. The Japanese [[battleship]] ''[[Japanese battleship Yamato|Yamato]]'', the largest battleship in the world, along with nine other Japanese [[warship]]s, [[sortie]]d from Japan on an intentional [[suicide attack|one-way mission]] to attack the [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]] that were [[Battle of Okinawa|invading Okinawa]]. The Japanese force was attacked, stopped, and almost completely destroyed by [[United States of America|U.S.]] [[aircraft carrier|carrier]] aircraft before reaching [[Okinawa]]. During this attack, ''Yamato'' and five other Japanese warships were sunk.

'''Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro''' ([[November 30]], [[1863]] &ndash; [[May 10]], [[1897]]) was one of the chief leaders of the [[Philippine Revolution|revolution]] of the [[Philippines]] against [[Spanish Empire|Spanish colonial rule]]. The 1896 [[Philippine Revolution]] was the first revolution in Asia against [[Europe]]an [[colonialism|colonial rule]].

==Early life==

The battle demonstrated the aerial control that the U.S. had attained in the [[Pacific Theater of Operations|Pacific theater]] as well as the [[vulnerability]] of [[surface ship]]s to aerial attack. The battle also apparently exhibited Japan's willingness to [[sacrifice]] large numbers of its people in desperate and [[suicide|suicidal]] [[military tactics|tactics]] in an attempt to slow or stop the Allied advance on the Japanese [[homeland]].

He was born to a Tagalog father and a Spanish [[mestiza]] mother, Catalina de Castro of [[Zambales]]<ref>http://www.visitzambales.com/newlayout/index.php?action=people&part=intfacts</ref>, in [[Tondo]], Manila. His father was a ''cabeza de barangay'' (a leading [[barangay]] official). He was orphaned at a young age. According to popular anecdote, he peddled canes and fans to support his family.

==Background==

By spring 1945, following the [[Solomon Islands campaign]] and Battles of [[Battle of the Philippine Sea|the Philippine Sea]] and [[Battle of Leyte Gulf|Leyte Gulf]], the once imposing [[Imperial Japanese Navy]]'s Combined Fleet was reduced to just a handful of operational [[warship]]s and a few remaining [[aircraft]] and [[Aircrew member|aircrew]]. Most of the remaining Japanese warships in the Combined Fleet were [[military base|stationed]] at [[port]]s in Japan, with most of the large ships at [[Kure, Hiroshima]].<ref>Hara, ''Japanese Destroyer Captain'', 274.</ref>

Later, he worked as a clerk in a British firm in Manila. He married twice - his first wife was a woman named Monica, who died of leprosy. He read books about the French Revolution, ''[[Les Miserables]]'', and the novels of local reformist and future national hero [[Jose Rizal]], among others.

With the [[invasion]]s of [[Battle of Saipan|Saipan]] and [[Battle of Iwo Jima|Iwo Jima]], Allied (primarily U.S.) [[military unit|forces]] began their [[military campaign|campaign]] against the Japanese homeland itself. As the next step before a [[Operation Downfall|planned invasion]] of the Japanese [[Mainland Japan|mainland]], Allied forces [[Battle of Okinawa|invaded Okinawa]] on [[April 1]], [[1945]]. In March, in briefing [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] [[Hirohito]] on Japan's response to the expected Okinawan invasion, Japanese military leaders explained that the [[Japanese Imperial Army|Army]] was planning extensive air attacks, including the use of [[kamikaze]]. The emperor then reportedly asked, "But what about the Navy? What are they doing to assist in defending Okinawa?" Now feeling [[peer pressure|pressured]] by the emperor to mount some kind of attack also, Japan's Navy commanders conceived a kamikaze-type mission for their remaining operational large ships, which included the [[battleship]] [[Japanese battleship Yamato|''Yamato'']].<ref>Feifer, ''The Battle of Okinawa'', 7.</ref>

According to historians, Bonifacio - though projected by detractors as being unlettered - was in fact very literate because a British firm would not have hired him as a clerk if he was not. He was also highly intellectual to be keeping serious novels and political books, many were not even written in his native tongue. He also authored countless articles and poems in the course of organizing the revolution.

The resulting plan, drafted under the direction of the Commander in Chief of the Combined Fleet, [[Admiral]] [[Toyoda Soemu]],<ref>Minear, ''Requiem'', xiii.</ref> called for ''Yamato'' and her escorts to attack the U.S. fleet supporting the U.S. troops landing on the west of the island. ''Yamato'' and her escorts were to fight their way to Okinawa and then to beach themselves between [[Higashi, Okinawa|Higashi]] and [[Yomitan, Okinawa|Yomitan]] and fight as [[shore battery|shore batteries]] until they were destroyed. Once destroyed, the ship's surviving crewmembers were supposed to abandon the ships and fight U.S. forces on land. Very little, if any, air cover could be provided for the ships, which would render them almost helpless to concentrated U.S. air attacks.<ref>Feifer, ''The Battle of Okinawa'', 7.</ref> In preparation for executing the plan, the assigned ships left Kure for [[Tokuyama]], off [[Mitajiri]], Japan, on [[March 29]].<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 6–7.</ref> However, in spite of obeying orders to prepare for the mission, Admiral [[Ito Seiichi]], commander of the Ten-Go force, still refused to actually order his ships to carry it out, believing the plan to be futile and wasteful.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 62.</ref>

He was a [[Freemason]]. He also joined Rizal's ''[[La Liga Filipina]]'' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]] "The Philippine League"), a society that called for reforms in Spanish rule. However, the ''Liga'' was disbanded shortly after Rizal was arrested and deported to the town of [[Dapitan]] in [[Mindanao]] a day after the group's only meeting.

[[Image:YamatoTenGoOfficers.jpg|275 px|thumb|right|The chief officers of ''Yamato'', photographed on April 5, 1945, two days before the ''Ten-Go'' sortie.]]Vice Admiral [[Ryunosuke Kusaka|Kusaka Ryunosuke]] flew from Tokyo on [[April 5]] to Tokuyama in a final attempt to convince the assembled commanders of the Combined Fleet, including Admiral Ito, to accept the plan. Upon first hearing of the proposed operation (it had been kept secret from most of them until now), the Combined Fleet commanders and captains unanimously joined Admiral Ito in rejecting it for the same reasons that he had expressed. Admiral Kusaka then explained that the Navy's attack would help divert U.S. aircraft away from the Army's planned air attacks on the U.S. fleet at Okinawa. He also explained that Japan's national leadership, including the emperor, were expecting the Navy to make their best effort to support the defense of Okinawa. Upon hearing this, the Combined Fleet commanders relented and accepted the proposed plan. The ship's crews were briefed on the nature of the mission and given the opportunity to stay behind if desired&mdash;none did. However, new, sick, and infirm crewmembers were ordered off the ships.<ref>Hara, ''Japanese Destroyer Captain'', 277.</ref> The ships' crews now engaged in some last-minute intense drills to prepare for the mission, mostly practicing [[damage control|damage-control]] procedures.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 15.</ref> At midnight the ships were fueled. Reportedly, in secret defiance of orders to provide the ships with only just enough fuel to reach Okinawa, the Tokuyama personnel actually gave ''Yamato'' and the other ships almost all of the remaining fuel in the port, although this probably still was not enough to allow the force to return to Japan from Okinawa.<ref>Spurr, ''A Glorious Way to Die'', 162–165.</ref>

==BattleThe Katipunan==

The ''Republika ng Katagalugan'' (Tagalog Republic), with him as President and the members of the ''Katipunan'' high council as his cabinet. "Tagalog", in this sense, was a term used to refer to the Philippines as a whole, not [[Tagalog people|the ethnic group]].

[[image:ten-goMap1.png|250 px|thumb|left|Routes of the [[Japan]]ese force (solid black) and [[U.S.]] carrier aircraft (dotted red) to the battle area (X).]]On [[April 6]] at [[24-hour clock|16:00 hours]], ''Yamato'', with Admiral Ito on board, the [[light cruiser]] [[Japanese cruiser Yahagi|''Yahagi'']], and eight [[destroyer]]s departed Tokuyama to begin the mission.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 30.</ref> Two U.S. [[submarine]]s, [[USS Threadfin (SS-410)|''Threadfin'']] and [[USS Hackleback (SS-295)|''Hackleback'']], sighted the Japanese force as it proceeded south through [[Bungo Suido]] but were unable to attack. However, they notified the U.S. fleet of the Japanese [[sortie]].<ref>Skulski, ''The Battleship Yamato'', 12.</ref>

On the night of [[July 7]], [[1892]] (the eve of Rizal's arrest, in fact), Bonifacio founded the [[Katipunan]], a revolutionary secret society which would later spark the [[Philippine Revolution]] of [[1896]] against Spanish rule. In this period, he met his second wife, [[Gregoria de Jesus]], who became a rebel leader in her own right. His right-hand man was [[Emilio Jacinto]]. Within the society, Bonifacio's codename or ''nom de guerre'' was ''Maypagasa'' (There is hope).

At dawn on [[April 7]], the Japanese force passed the [[Osumi Peninsula]] into the open [[ocean]] heading [[south]] from [[Kyushu]] towards Okinawa. They shifted into a defensive [[formation (military)|formation]], with ''Yahagi'' leading ''Yamato'' and the eight destroyers deployed in a ring around the two larger ships, with each ship 1,500&nbsp;[[metre|meters]] from each other and proceeding at 20&nbsp;[[knot]]s.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 47–49.</ref> One of the Japanese destroyers, [[Japanese destroyer Asashimo|''Asashimo'']], developed [[engine]] trouble and turned back. U.S. [[reconnaissance]] aircraft now began to [[surveillance|shadow]] the main force of ships. At 10:00 hours, the Japanese force turned [[west]] to make it look like they were [[withdrawal (military)|withdrawing]], but at 11:30, they turned back towards Okinawa.<ref>Hara, ''Japanese Destroyer Captain'', 277.</ref>

With the establishment of the Katipunan, Andrés Bonifacio became popularly known as the ''Father of the Revolution'' and eventually held the title of ''Supremo''.

[[image:Yamato2.jpg|200 px|thumb|right|U.S. aircraft, such as this [[dive-bomber]], begin their attacks on [[Japanese battleship Yamato|''Yamato'']] (center left). A Japanese [[destroyer]] is in the center right of the picture.<ref>Nova: ''Sinking the Supership''.</ref>]]Around 10:00 this same day (April 7), the U.S. Navy began launching almost 400 aircraft in several waves from eleven carriers of Vice Admiral [[Marc A. Mitscher]]'s [[Task Force 58]] ([[USS Hornet (CV-12)|''Hornet'']], [[USS Bennington (CV-20)|''Bennington'']], [[USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)|''Belleau Wood'']], [[USS San Jacinto (CVL-30)|''San Jacinto'']], [[USS Essex (CV-9)|''Essex'']], [[USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)|''Bunker Hill'']], [[USS Hancock (CV-19)|''Hancock'']], [[USS Bataan (CVL-29)|''Bataan'']], [[USS Intrepid (CV-11)|''Intrepid'']], [[USS Yorktown (CV-10)|''Yorktown'']], and [[USS Langley (CVL-27)|''Langley'']]) that were located just east of Okinawa. The aircraft consisted of [[F6F Hellcat]] [[fighter]]s, [[SB2C Helldiver]] [[dive-bomber]]s, and [[TBF Avenger]] [[torpedo bomber]]s. A force of six battleships ([[USS Massachusetts (BB-59)|''Massachusetts'']], [[USS Indiana (BB-58)|''Indiana'']], [[USS New Jersey (BB-62)|''New Jersey'']], [[USS South Dakota (BB-57)|''South Dakota'']], [[USS Wisconsin (BB-64)|''Wisconsin'']], and [[USS Missouri (BB-63)|''Missouri'']]) supported by cruisers (including [[USS Alaska (CB-1)|''Alaska'']] and [[USS Guam (CB-2)|''Guam'']]) and destroyers was also assembled to intercept the Japanese fleet if the [[airstrike|air-strikes]] did not succeed.<ref>navweaps.com</ref>

He wrote the patriotic poem, ''Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa'' (loosely, Love for the Motherland), which saw print in the first and only issue of the ''Katipunan'' periodical, ''Kalayaan'' (Freedom), edited by Jacinto. Allegedly, he also made the first translation of Jose Rizal's final poem, ''[[Mi Ultimo Adios]]'' (My Last Farewell) into [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]].

Due to the Japanese force not having any air cover, the U.S. aircraft were able to set up for their attacks without fear of opposition from Japanese aircraft. U.S. attack aircraft arriving over the ''Yamato'' group, after their two-hour flight from Okinawa, were thus able to circle the Japanese ship formation just out of [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] range, methodically setting up their attacks on the warships below.<ref>Hara, ''Japanese Destroyer Captain'', 277.</ref>

Just before the Revolution broke out, he formed a revolutionary government called "Republika ng mga Katagalugan" with himself as the president.

The first wave of U.S. carrier aircraft engaged the Japanese ships starting at 12:30 hours. The Japanese ships increased speed to 25&nbsp;knots, began evasive maneuvers, and opened fire with their anti-aircraft guns. ''Yamato'' herself carried almost 150 anti-aircraft guns.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 62–64.</ref> The U.S. torpedo airplanes mainly attacked from the [[port (nautical)|port]] side so that, if the torpedoes mainly hit from that side, it would increase the likelihood of the target ship to [[capsize]].<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 74.</ref>

==Downfall==

[[image:Yahagi.jpg|250 px|thumb|left|[[Light cruiser]] [[Japanese cruiser Yahagi|''Yahagi'']] under intense bomb and torpedo attack.<ref>CombinedFleet.com</ref>]]At 12:46, a [[torpedo]] hit [[Japanese cruiser Yahagi|''Yahagi'']] directly in her engine room, killing the entire engineering room crew and bringing her to a complete stop. Dead in the water, ''Yahagi'' was hit by at least six more torpedoes and 12 [[bomb]]s by succeeding waves of air attacks. Japanese destroyer [[Japanese destroyer Isokaze|''Isokaze'']] attempted to come to ''Yahagi'''s aid but was herself attacked, heavily damaged, and sank sometime later. ''Yahagi'' capsized and sank at 14:05 hours. Her survivors, left floating in the water, could see the ''Yamato'' in the distance, still apparently steaming south and fighting attacking U.S. aircraft. However, in reality, ''Yamato'' herself was only minutes away from sinking.<ref>Hara, ''Japanese Destroyer Captain'', 298.</ref>

While Bonifacio's personal campaigns were less than successful, the revolutionaries in Cavite had greater success, led by officers coming from the upper classes, including the celebrated [[Emilio Aguinaldo]]. Thus, they sent out a manifesto calling for a revolutionary government of their own, disregarding Bonifacio's leadership.

During the first attack wave, in spite of intensive evasive maneuvers that caused most of the bombs and torpedoes aimed at her to miss, ''Yamato'' was hit by two [[Armor-piercing shot and shell|armor-piercing]] bombs and one torpedo.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 66.</ref> Her speed was not affected, but one of the bombs started a fire [[aft]] of the [[superstructure]] that was never extinguished. Also, during the first attack wave, Japanese destroyers [[Japanese destroyer Hamakaze|''Hamakaze'']] and [[Japanese destroyer Suzutsuki|''Suzutsuki'']] were heavily damaged and taken out of the battle. ''Hamakaze'' sank sometime later.<ref>CombinedFleet.com</ref>

A council comprising of Bonifacio's men and the ''[[Magdalo]]'' and the ''Magdiwang'', two locally-based rival Katipunan factions, held a convention in Tejeros, Cavite to establish a unified front and settle the issue of leadership of the revolutionary movement. The Magdalo faction was led by Baldomero Aguinaldo, cousin to Emilio Aguinaldo. In the elections, the Cavitenos voted their own Emilio Aguinaldo President. Bonifacio, due to the lack of a power base in the province, was voted Director of the Interior.

[[image:Yamato1.jpg|200 px|thumb|right|[[Japanese battleship Yamato|''Yamato'']] (upper right) dodging air attack during the battle.<ref>Nova: ''Sinking the Supership''.</ref>]]Between 13:20 and 14:15, the second and third waves of U.S. aircraft attacked, heavily concentrating on the ''Yamato''. During this time, ''Yamato'' was hit by at least eight torpedoes and up to 15 bombs. The bombs did extensive damage to the topside of the ship, including knocking out power to the [[gun director]]s and forcing the anti-aircraft guns to be individually and manually aimed and fired, greatly reducing their effectiveness.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 78.</ref> The torpedo hits, almost all on the port side, caused the ''Yamato'' to list enough that capsizing was now an imminent danger.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 80.</ref> The water damage-control station had been destroyed by a bomb hit making it impossible to counter-flood the specially designed spaces within the ship's [[hull (watercraft)|hull]] to counteract hull damage. At 13:33 in a desperate attempt to keep the ship from capsizing, ''Yamato'''s damage control team counter-flooded both [[starboard]] engine and [[boiler]] rooms. This mitigated the danger but also [[drown]]ed the several hundred crewmen manning those stations, who were given no notice that their compartments were about to fill with water.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 82.</ref> The lives of those crewmen bought ''Yamato'' about 30 more minutes of life.<ref>Feifer, ''The Battle of Okinawa'', 17–25.</ref> The loss of the starboard engines, plus the weight of the water, caused ''Yamato'' to slow to about 10&nbsp;knots.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 83.</ref>

However, a member of the ''Magdalo'' faction, Daniel Tirona, questioned Bonifacio's qualifications for high office, declaring him uneducated and unfit for the position. Bonifacio was slighted, all the more so since he had previously asked that the results of the election be respected by all. Invoking his authority as ''Supremo'', he threatened those in attendance with a pistol and declared the results of the Tejeros Convention as null and void and left in a rage. Later, he wrote to Jacinto about his misgivings about the whole matter, as he suspected Tirona of spreading black propaganda against him and fixing the ballots (as some other leaders also suspected).

With ''Yamato'' now proceeding more slowly and therefore easier to target, U.S. torpedo aircraft concentrated on hitting her rudder and stern with torpedoes in order to affect her steering ability, which they succeeded in doing.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 95–96.</ref> At 14:02, after being informed that the ship could no longer steer and was unavoidably sinking, Admiral Ito ordered the mission canceled, the crew to abandon ship, and for the remaining ships to begin rescuing survivors.<ref>CombinedFleet.com</ref> ''Yamato'' communicated this message to the other surviving ships by [[signal flag]], as her [[radio]]s had been destroyed.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 108.</ref>

It is believed the Supremo from this point headed towards Batangas to lead another Katipunan faction where he would establish his own government. Word of this got back to the Magdalo group. In fear of a separate rival government along with an ongoing revolution, Aguinaldo ordered the arrest of Bonifacio and his brothers. The Magdalo soldiers caught up with Bonifacio in the town of Indang. They surrounded the house and asked Bonifacio and his men to disarm and come out peacefully. Bonifacio refuted and stated that bullets would settle this matter. The stand off lasted through the night.

At dawn, the soldiers closed in and opened fire. Bonifacio ordered his men not to shoot. His men yelled, "Brothers, don't shoot! Tell us what you want?" The soldiers made their way in. [[Procopio Bonifacio]] was tied up and beaten with a revolver. [[Ciriaco Bonifacio]] was held down by two soldiers and shot to death. Bonifacio was stabbed and beaten with a rifle butt. [[Gregoria de Jesus]](wife of Andres Bonifacio) recounted that after the capture of the Supremo, the leading officer approached her, asking where they had stashed the Treasury money.

[[image:Yamato4.jpg|250 px|thumb|left|[[Japanese battleship Yamato|''Yamato'']], afire, begins to [[capsize]].<ref>Nova: ''Sinking the Supership''.</ref>]]At 14:05, ''Yamato'' was stopped dead in the water and began to capsize. Admiral Ito and the captain of the ''Yamato'' decided to go down with the ship and refused to abandon her with the rest of the survivors. At 14:20, ''Yamato'' capsized completely and began to sink ({{coor dm|30|22|N|128|04|E}}). At 14:23, she suddenly blew-up with an [[explosion]] so large that it was reportedly heard and seen 200&nbsp;[[kilometre|km]] away in [[Kagoshima]] and sent up a [[mushroom cloud|mushroom-shaped cloud]] almost 20,000&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|feet]] into the air.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 118.</ref> The explosion is believed to have happened due to the fires from the bomb hits reaching the main [[ammunition]] [[Magazine (artillery)|magazines]].<ref>Skulski, ''The Battleship Yamato'', 13.</ref>

The brothers were taken to Naic and tried in a kangaroo court headed by General [[Mariano Noriel]]. Both were charged with treason and sedition, punishment was death by firing squad. In Emilio Aguinaldo's biography, Aguinaldo claims he superseded this judgment and ordered the Supremo to be exiled and banished to Mt. Nagpatong. Major [[Lazaro Makapagal]], along with four soldiers, was given orders to lead the Bonifacio brothers to Mt. Nagpatong. Makapagal was also given a sealed envelope with strict orders not to open it until they reached the mountains. On [[May 10]], [[1897]], at Mt. Nagpatong, Major [[Lazaro Makapagal]] opened the letter, faced the Supremo and his brother, and read its contents aloud. Andres and Procopio were to be executed by firing squad or he himself would be shot. It was signed by General [[Mariano Noriel]]. Makapagal turned his back and his soldiers opened fire on the Bonifacio brothers. The Supremo was only 34 years old. Fearing their gunfire being heard by Spanish forces, they quickly dug a shallow grave and covered the two bodies with twigs and branches. Co-patriots of the Revolution regarded this an ugly blot laid at Aguinaldo's door, though Aguinaldo originally wanted them banished instead.

Attempting to make it back to port, Japanese destroyer [[Japanese destroyer Asashimo|''Asashimo'']] was bombed and sunk with all hands by U.S. aircraft. The Japanese destroyer [[Japanese destroyer Kasumi|''Kasumi'']] was also sunk by U.S. carrier aircraft attack during the battle. ''Suzutsuki'', despite her [[bow (ship)|bow]] being blown off, was able to make it to [[Sasebo, Nagasaki|Sasebo]], Japan by steaming in reverse the entire way.<ref>CombinedFleet.com</ref>

In 1918, an expedition lead by one of the former soldiers found the grave of Andres Bonifacio. His remains were exhumed and placed in a urn at the Legislative Building (today National Museum) in Manila. In 1945, near the end of WWII during the [[Battle of Manila]], the building was completely destroyed. The Supremo's remains are lost forever.

The remaining three less-damaged Japanese destroyers ([[Japanese destroyer Fuyuzuki|''Fuyuzuki'']], [[Japanese destroyer Yukikaze|''Yukikaze'']], and [[Japanese destroyer Hatsushimo|''Hatsushimo'']]) were able to rescue 280 survivors from ''Yamato'' (out of a crew of 2,700), plus 555 survivors from ''Yahagi'' (out of a crew of 1,000) and just over 800 survivors from ''Isokaze'', ''Hamakaze'', and ''Kasumi''. However, 3,700 Japanese naval personnel perished in the battle.<ref>CombinedFleet.com</ref> The ships took the survivors to Sasebo.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 140.</ref>

==Controversy==

[[Image:Yamato battleship explosion.jpg|250 px|thumb|right|[[Japanese battleship Yamato|''Yamato'']] explodes.<ref>Nova: ''Sinking the Supership''.</ref>]]A total of 10 U.S. aircraft were shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the Japanese ships; some of the aircrews were rescued by [[seaplane|amphibious aircraft]] or submarine. In total, the U.S. lost 12 men. Some of the Japanese survivors reported that U.S. fighter aircraft [[machine gun|machine-gunned]] Japanese survivors floating in the water.<ref>"Then the Americans started to shoot with machine guns at the people who were floating, so we all had to dive under." {{cite web | url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/supership/surv-ishida.html | title=Survivor Stories: Ishida | author=Naoyoshi Ishida | coauthors=Keiko Bang | month=September | year=2005 | work=Sinking the Supership | publisher=[[NOVA (TV series)|NOVA]] }}</ref> This may have been a [[war crime]] or it may have been a legitimate attempt to protect downed U.S. aircrew who were floating in the water nearby awaiting rescue.<ref>Hara, ''Japanese Destroyer Captain'', 301.</ref> Japanese survivors also reported that U.S. aircraft temporarily halted their attacks on the Japanese destroyers during the time that the destroyers were busy picking up survivors from the water.<ref>Yoshida, ''Requiem'', 144.</ref>

Some historians, like [[Renato Constantino]], see him as a champion of the masses who was slighted by ambitious members of the upper class. Others like [[Gregorio Zaide]], favor Aguinaldo and company over him. [[Glenn May]] goes as far as saying that his role as a national hero was largely invented. Also, there is debate whether he should be considered the first Philippine President instead of Aguinaldo and the national hero instead of Rizal until now.

Some analytical historians, claim that what happened at Tejeros, Cavite was actually a coup de etat to wrest power from Bonifacio by the bourgeois or upper class represented by Aguinaldo. (Aguinaldo and members of his class enjoyed more privilege status even before the revolution. They would not allow a victorious president Bonifacio ordering land and wealth distribution as his first decree.) Hence, the Tejeros Convention was a farce intended to lure Bonifacio to the Caviteño territory. The presidential election wasn't a national election at all. Participated only by mostly Caviteños. The other revolting provinces such as Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Laguna, Batangas, and others, were not participants. Bonifacio, who was too fueled with idealism, was too naive to understand maneuvering politicians. Bonifacio was not allowed to get out of Cavite. He was tried then executed promptly for treason. Many now asks: Had Bonifacio able to slip to Manila could he have declared that the Aguinaldo was the one who betrayed the revolution?

During the battle, the Japanese Army conducted an air attack on the U.S. naval fleet at Okinawa as promised, but failed to sink any ships. Around 115 aircraft, many of them kamikaze, attacked the U.S. ships throughout the day of April 7. Kamikaze aircraft hit [[USS Hancock (CV-19)|''Hancock'']], battleship [[USS Maryland (BB-46)|''Maryland'']], and destroyer [[USS Bennett (DD-473)|''Bennett'']], causing moderate damage to ''Hancock'' and ''Maryland'' and heavy damage to ''Bennett''. About 100 of the Japanese aircraft were lost in the attack.<ref>Hara, ''Japanese Destroyer Captain'', 304.</ref>

==AftermathToday==

[[Image:Bonifacio_Monument.JPG|left|thumb|100px|Bonifacio Monument in [[Caloocan City]], sculpted by [[Guillermo Tolentino]]]]

[[Image:Php_bill_10_front.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Andrés Bonifacio (right) on the 10-peso bill]]

Bonifacio's birthday on [[November 30]] is celebrated as '''Bonifacio Day''' (Filipino: ''Araw ni Bonifacio'') and is a public holiday in the Philippines.

There are many monuments to Bonifacio across the nation, with the most famous being two sculptures, one by [[Napoleon Abueva]] and the other by [[Guillermo Tolentino]], both [[National Artist of the Philippines|National Artists]].

Ten-Go was the last major Japanese naval operation of the war, and the remaining Japanese warships had little involvement in combat operations for the rest of the conflict. ''Suzutsuki'' was never repaired. ''Fuyuzuki'' was repaired but hit a U.S. air-dropped [[naval mine|mine]] at [[Moji-ku, Kitakyushu|Moji]], Japan, on [[August 20]], [[1945]], and was not subsequently repaired. ''Yukikaze'' survived the war almost undamaged. ''Hatsushimo'' hit a U.S. air-dropped mine on [[July 30]], [[1945]], near [[Maizuru, Kyoto|Maizuru]], Japan, and was the 129th, and last, Japanese destroyer sunk in the war.<ref>Hara, ''Japanese Destroyer Captain'', 281.</ref>

In current [[Philippine peso|Philippine currency]], he is depicted in the 10-peso bill (currently out of production) and 10-peso coin, along with fellow patriot [[Apolinario Mabini]].

Okinawa was declared secure by Allied forces on [[June 21]], [[1945]],<ref>Minear, ''Requiem'', xiv.</ref> after an intense and costly battle. [[Surrender of Japan|Japan surrendered unconditionally]] in August 1945, after being [[Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|bombed twice with nuclear weapons by the U.S]]. The apparent willingness of Japan to sacrifice so many of its people using suicidal tactics such as Operation Ten-Go and in the Battle of Okinawa reportedly was a factor in the Allied decision to employ [[nuclear weapon]]s against Japan.<ref>Feifer, ''The Battle of Okinawa'', 410–430.</ref>

==In film==

Other commanders of the Imperial Japanese Navy had very negative feelings about the operation, believing that it was a waste of human life and precious fuel. Captain Atsushi Ōi, who commanded escort fleets, was critical as fuel and resources were diverted from his operation. As he was told that the aim of this operation as “the tradition and the glory of Navy,” he shouted:<ref> Atsushi Ōi, ''Kaijo Goeisen''.</ref>

Bonifacio was portrayed by Julio Diaz in ''Bayani'' (Hero), a feature film loosely based on his life directed by experimental ''auteur'' Raymond Red, and an educational television series also named ''Bayani''.

In ''[[José Rizal (film)|Jose Rizal]]'', a film about the national hero, he was portrayed by [[Gardo Verzosa]].

:''This war is of our nation and why should the honor of our "surface fleet" be more respected? Who cares about their glory? Bakayaroo! (Damn Admirals!)''

:("Surface fleet" refers to capital ships, especially battleships that "should have won the war".)

== References ==

The story of Operation Ten-Go is revered to some degree in modern Japan as evidenced by appearances of the story in popular [[Culture of Japan|Japanese culture]] which usually portray the event as a brave, selfless, but futile, symbolic effort by the participating Japanese sailors to defend their homeland .<ref>Matsumoto, ''Uchu senkan Yamato''; Sato, ''Otoko-tachi no Yamato''.</ref> One of the reasons the event may have such significance in Japanese culture is that the word ''Yamato'' was often used as a poetic name for Japan itself. Thus, the end of battleship ''Yamato'' could serve as a metaphor for the end of the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese empire]].<ref>Minear, ''Requiem'', xvii.</ref>

*{{cite book | author=Zaide, Gregorio F. | title=Philippine History and Government|publisher=National Bookstore Printing Press |year=[[1984]]}}

* Ocampo, Ambeth. Bones of Contention: The Bonifacio Lectures

* Agoncillo, Teodoro. The Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan

* Constantino, Renato. The Philippines: a Past Revisited

<div class="references-small">

<references/>

</div>

== Further reading ==

The story had also become a rallying cry for those criticizing brutality of Japanese armed force after a ficticious episode was intentionally added to the otherwise factual "''Requiem for Battleship Yamato''" by [[Mitsuru Yoshida]]. In the book, it is alleged that during the ensuing chaos of the rescue effort after Yamato had sunk, a noncommissioned officer aboard a [[Launch (boat)|launch]] had used his issued [[katana]] to cut off the hand of cringing survivors to prevent the boat from being overloaded. This episode is a clear [[propaganda]] as naval noncommissioned officers were denied from carrying a katana and a launch carried no weapon aboard. Kazuhiko Matsui, the communication officer of [[Japanese destroyer Hatsushimo|Hatsushimo]] who led the rescue effort denied the validity in a series of letters between Mitsuru Yoshida that were later published in the magazine ''[[Bungeishunju]]''. Mitsuru Yoshida declined to delete the episode or add the note to indicate that this episode was fiction and the book is still published as is. The reason for the addition is unclear as Yoshida was one of Yamato survivors and never claimed to have seen the episode himself.

*{{cite journal

| first =Isagani A.

{{Commons|HIJMS Yamato}}

| last =Cruz

| authorlink =

==References==

| coauthors =

===Books===

| year =2005

*{{cite book

| month =November 27

| last = Feifer

| title =The Tragedy Of Andres Bonifacio

| first = George

| journal =Philippine Daily Inquirer

| year = 2001

| volume =

| chapter = Operation Heaven Number One

| issue =

| title = The Battle of Okinawa: The Blood and the Bomb

| pages =14

| publisher = The Lyons Press

| ___locationid =

| url =http://bailey83221.livejournal.com/84994.html

| id = ISBN 1-58574-215-5

}}

*{{cite book

| last = HaraClair

| first =Francis St. Tameichi

| authorlink = Tameichi Hara

| yearcoauthors = 1961

| year =1902

| chapter = The Last Sortie

| title =[http://books.google.com/books?vid=LCCN03016030&id=hNFEgCAB9rAC&dq=%22Andr%C3%A9s+Bonifacio%22+%22Katipunan%22 The Katipunan: Or, The Rise and Fall of the Filipino Commune]

| title = Japanese Destroyer Captain

| publisher =Francis St. Clair [[Ballantine Books]]

| ___location = New York & Toronto

| id = ISBN 0-345-27894-1

}}Full book on Google

}} — First-hand account of the battle by the captain of the Japanese cruiser ''Yahagi''.

*{{cite bookjournal

| lastfirst =Manuel SkulskiL.

| firstlast = JanuszQuezon III

| authorlink =

| year = 1989

| coauthors =

| title = The Battleship Yamato

| year = 2005

| publisher = Naval Institute Press

| month =November 21

| ___location = [[Annapolis]], [[Maryland]]

| title =The Supremo Lives

| id = ISBN 0-87021-019-X

| journal =Philippine Daily Inquirer

| volume =

| issue =

| pages =

| id =

| url =http://bailey83221.livejournal.com/84994.html#cutid2

}}

*{{cite bookjournal

| lastfirst =Roberto Spurr

| firstlast = RussellLazaro

| authorlink =

| year = 1995

| coauthors =

| title = A Glorious Way to Die: The Kamikaze Mission of the Battleship Yamato, April 1945

| year =2005

| publisher = Newmarket Press

| month =November 29

| ___location =

| title =Thinking Aloud Dead Ends Need Not Be Dead

| id = ISBN 1-55704-248-9

| journal =Manila Times

}}

| volume =

*{{cite book

| lastissue = Yoshida

| firstpages = Mitsuru

| id =

| authorlink = Mitsuru Yoshida

| url =http://bailey83221.livejournal.com/84994.html#cutid3

| coauthors = Richard H. Minear

}}

| year = 1999

*{{cite journal

| title = Requiem for Battleship Yamato

| first =Marlon

| publisher = Naval Institute Press

| last =Ramos

| ___location = Annapolis, Maryland

| authorlink =

| id = ISBN 1-55750-544-6

| coauthors =

}} — A first-hand account of the battle by ''Yamato'''s only surviving bridge officer.

| year = 2004

*{{cite book

| lastmonth =December 9 Ōi

| title =Bonifacio: The Neglected Hero

| first = Atsushi

| journal =Philippine Daily Inquirer

| year = 1992

| volume =

| title = Kaijo Goeisen

| issue =

| publisher = Asahi Sonorama

| ___locationpages =

| id = ASIN 4059010405

| url =http://bailey83221.livejournal.com/84994.html#cutid4

}}

*{{cite journal

| first =Ambeth R.

| last =Ocampo

| authorlink =

| coauthors =

| year =2004

| month =December 1

| title =Where Are the Bones of Bonifacio?

| journal =Philippine Daily Inquirer

===External links===

*{{cite web

| volume =

| url = http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Pacific/OOB_WWII_Final_Sortie.htm

| issue =

| title = navweaps.com: Order of Battle

| pages =

| accessdate = 2006-04-22

| id =

| url =http://bailey83221.livejournal.com/84994.html#cutid5

}}

*{{cite webjournal

| first =Fr. Bel R.

| url = http://www.combinedfleet.com/yamato.htm

| last =San Luis

| title = CombinedFleet.com: Chronological history of Yamato and actions during Ten-Go

| authorlink =

| accessdate = 2006-05-13

| coauthors =

| year =2004

| month =November 29

| title =Bonifacio & our changing notion of 'hero'

| journal =Opinion & Editorial Manila Bulletin

| volume =

| issue =

| pages =

| id =

| url =http://bailey83221.livejournal.com/84994.html#cutid6

}}

*{{cite journal

| first =

| last =

| authorlink =

| coauthors =

| year =2004

| month =November

| title =Cavite to Unviel Bonifacio Mural Inquirer

| journal =Philippine Daily

| volume =

| issue =

| pages =

| id =

| url =http://bailey83221.livejournal.com/84994.html#cutid7

}}

*{{cite journal

| first =Ellalyn B.

| last =De Vera

| authorlink =

| coauthors =

| year =2004

| month =November 27

| title =Andres Bonifacio: The Katipunan Supremo

| journal =Manila Bulletin

| volume =

| issue =

| pages =

| id =

| url =http://bailey83221.livejournal.com/84994.html#cutid8

}}

*{{cite web

| url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/supership/

| title = NOVA documentary: Sinking the Supership

| accessdate = 2006-04-23

}} — Official site of the NOVA documentary with additional information on the subject.

===Audio/visual media===

*{{cite visual

| crew = Axelrod, David (Writer and director)

| date = 2005

| url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/supership/

| title = NOVA, Sinking the Supership

| medium = Video documentary

| ___location = Boston

| distributor = WGBH Educational Foundation and Bang Singapore Private Limited

}} — One-hour documentary on Operation Ten-Go

*{{cite visual

| crew = Matsumoto, Leiji (Creator and writer)

| date = 1974

| url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140644/

| title=Uchu senkan Yamato (Space Battleship Yamato)

| medium = TV-series

| ___location = Japan

| distributor = Office Academy

}} — ''[[Space Battleship Yamato]]'' is an animated series set in the future in which the wreck of the ''Yamato'' is lifted off of the ocean floor, rebuilt as a spaceship, and sent into outer space on a lone mission to defend against alien invaders who are ruthlessly bombarding the earth with huge fire and radiation bombs.

*{{cite visual

| director = Sato, Junya

| date = 2005

| url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0451845/

| title = Otoko-tachi no Yamato (Men's ''Yamato'')

| medium = Movie

| ___location = Japan

| distributor = Toei Co. Ltd.

}} — Japanese movie that dramatizes Operation Ten-Go from the perspective of ''Yamato'''s crew.

== NotesExternal links ==

*[http://www.filipiniana.net/read_content.jsp?filename=BKW000000005&page=1&epage=3 The Courtmartial of Andres Bonifacio] Historical court documents and testimonies in the trial and execution of Andres and Procopio Bonifacio processed by [http://www.filipiniana.net Filipiniana.net]

<div class="references-2column"><references /></div>

*[http://www.filipiniana.net/read_content.jsp?filename=BKW000000004&page=1&epage=1 Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga Tagalog] Summary and full text of an article written by Andres Bonifacio in the Katipunan newspaper Kalayaan posted in [http://www.filipiniana.net Filipiniana.net]

*[http://www.bibingka.com/phg/books/bonifacio.htm Book Review Inventing a Hero by Glenn May]

*[http://bonifaciopapers.blogspot.com A site on the ''Supremo'' and the Katipunan]

{{Philippine Revolution}}

{{featured article}}

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