Monument To The Girls Corps

A Himeyuri No To あゝひめゆりの塔

Director: Toshio Masuda (舛田利雄)
Released: September 21, 1968
Distributor: Nikkatsu
Screenplay: Wakai Motonari (若井基成), Fumio Ishimori (石森史郎)

Starring:
Meiko Kaji (梶芽衣子)/Masako Ota (太田雅子) as Tsuru Shimabukuro
Sayuri Yoshinaga (吉永小百合) as Kazuko Yonamine
Masako Izumi (和泉雅子) as Tomi Higa
Mitsuo Hamada (浜田光夫) as Junichiro Nishizato
Yoko Takagi (高樹蓉子) as Tamiko Shinya
Chieko Toyama (遠山智英子) as Yumiko Yamashiro
Kaoru Hama (浜川智子) as Mitsuko Tokashiki
Mikiko Otonashi (音無美紀子) as Junko Yamabe
Michiko Sasamori (笹森みち子) as Katsue Aragaki
Ruriko Ito (伊藤るり子) as Yasu Sakagawa
Yoko Maki (真木洋子) as Kikue Kuniyoshi
Hideaki Nitani (二谷英明) as Hideo Akira Kina
Tatsuya Fuji (藤竜也) as Izumikawa
Kan'emon Nakamura (中村翫右衛門) as Principal Noguchi
Koji Wada (和田浩治) as Ota
Eiji Go (郷英治) as Lieutenant Sugiyama
Tetsuya Watari (渡哲也) as Youth

Info:

Based on the true story of the Himeyuri Students who formed a nursing unit for Japanese soldiers during the Battle Of Okinawa. Teenage girls who were on the front lines during the battle performing surgery and tending to wounded soldiers. According to the Wikipedia page, many of the students expected the Japanese army to defeat the USA in a matter of days and brought along school supplies to study and be ready to return to the classroom.

Check out the excellent Midnight Eye review of the film by Tom Mes.

Plot:

In 1943, critical developments in the Pacific War have placed Japan at a disadvantage, although the fiery breaths of war hadn't yet reached Okinawa Normal School for women. Nothing seemed the least bit out of the ordinary, as Kazuko (Sayuri Yoshinaga) and her friends enjoyed a day of sports. A year later the war takes a devastating turn, as US forces plan an amphibious attack known as "Operation Iceberg" on the Ryukyu island.

Thanks to IMDB.com for the synopsis.