1 April 1945
U.S. Forces Land on Okinawa
With the northern Philippines safely in Allied hands, and Iwo Jima available as a base for fighter escorts for bombing raids, Okinawa remained as the last stepping-stone for the anticipated invasion of the Japanese home islands. However, here again the Japanese had anticipated that Okinawa would be a target, and installed a garrison of 80,000 men for the island’s defense.

Landings began on April 1, but since the Japanese commander decided not to fight on the beaches, 50,000 U.S. soldiers were on shore by the end of the day. The real problems began a few days later, when the invasion fleet was subjected to withering Kamikaze attacks that damaged twenty-five ships and sank three others. Meanwhile a powerful series of fortifications, bad weather, and dogged resistance on the part of the Japanese, slowed the land offensive to a crawl. It took more than two and a half months to pacify the island, but in mid-May some of the defenders began surrendering voluntarily. Unlike previous instances, they were not fighting to the last man—a sure sign that Japanese morale was fading. Nevertheless, for the United States it was the costliest operation of the war, with American forces suffering nearly 50,000 casualties. Japanese losses, both civilian and military, were more than twice that figure.

History:
Ryukyus

Campaign Maps:
Invasion of Okinawa, 1945
Invasion of Okinawa, 1945
The Okinawa Campaign

Personal Accounts:
Oral History—Battle of Okinawa
Rutgers Oral History Archives of World War II: Interview with Richard Stanley
Rutgers Oral History Archives of World War II: Interview with Christopher Maggio
Rutgers Oral History Archives of World War II: Interview with Paul Rork
Rutgers Oral History Archives of World War II: Interview with Leon Canick
Rutgers Oral History Archives of World War II: Interview with Alden F. Jacobs
Rutgers Oral History Archives of World War II: Interview with Richard Gies

Photographs:
Corsair fighter looses its load of rocket projectiles on a run against a Japanese stronghold on Okinawa
A Marine of the 1st Marine Division draws a bead on a Japanese sniper with his tommy-gun as his companion ducks for cover
Marine Maj. Gen. Lemuel Shepherd, commanding general of the 6th Marine Division, relaxes on an Okinawan ridge long enough to consult a map of the terrain