tactics such as Operation Ten-Go and in the Battle of Okinawa was reportedly a factor in the American decision to employ atomic weapons against Japan. Yamato remains fairly prominent in modern Japanese culture, where she is often portrayed as a symbol of Japanese nationalism. The academic Robert Farley has written that popular depictions of the battleship portray her destruction as a "heroic, but also pointless and futile, sacrifice". 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. Thus, the end of the battleship Yamato could serve as a metaphor for the end of the Japanese empire. References Footnotes Bibliography Further reading External links The official site of the NOVA documentary with additional information on the subject. 1945 in Japan April 1945 events in Asia Conflicts in 1945 Naval aviation operations and battles Naval battles of World War II involving Japan Naval battles of World War II involving the United States Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II