in the `` pony '' editions of time , which were passed from hand to hand , he 'd read that the japanese had held countless planes back from combat , had stockpiled ammunition along the entire coast of its home islands with an unbroken line of shore batteries , that a million ground troops , some battle-hardened , some fresh , as well as every able-bodied old man and boy , and thousands of women had dedicated themselves to fight to the death against the invasion of their homeland , scheduled to commence in november .