<Dd> Although damage to big factories was slight, approximately one - fourth of some 4,000 lesser factories, which operated hand - in - hand with the big factories, were completely destroyed by fire...Moreover, owing to the rising fear of air attacks, workers in general were reluctant to work in the factories, and the attendance fluctuated as much as 50 percent . </Dd> <P> The Japanese army, which was not based in the cities, was largely undamaged by the raids . The Army was short of food and gasoline, but, as Iwo Jima and Okinawa proved, it was capable of ferocious resistance . The Japanese also had a new tactic that it hoped would provide the bargaining power to get a satisfactory peace, the Kamikaze . </P> <P> In late 1944, the Japanese invented an unexpected and highly effective new tactic, the Kamikaze suicide plane aimed like a guided missile at American ships . Kamikaze means divine winds . The attacks began in October 1944 and continued to the end of the war . Most of the aircraft used in kamikaze attacks were converted obsolete fighters and dive - bombers . The quality of construction was very poor, and many crashed during training or before reaching targets . Experienced pilots were used to lead a mission because they could navigate; they were not Kamikazes, and they returned to base for another mission . The Kamikaze pilots were inexperienced and had minimal training; however most were well educated and intensely committed to the Emperor . </P> <P> Kamikaze attacks were highly effective at the Battle of Okinawa in spring 1945 . During the three - month battle, 4000 kamikaze sorties sank 38 US ships and damaged 368 more, killing 4,900 sailors in the American 5th Fleet . Destroyers and destroyer escorts, doing radar picket duty, were hit hard, as the inexperienced pilots dived at the first American ship they spotted instead of waiting to get at the big carriers . Task Force 58 analyzed the Japanese technique at Okinawa in April, 1945: </P>

What did the united states hope to achieve with the air war