The Battle of Okinawa Ends

Tokyo Weekender

6 hours ago

On this day 80 years ago, the Battle of Okinawa, the final major battle of World War II, concluded. 'The Star-Spangled Banner' was played and the US flag was raised above the Tenth Army Headquarters at Camp Kuwae to mark the end of what was the largest and bloodiest conflict in the Pacific Theater. It lasted more than 80 days, and, according to the
Okinawa Peace Memorial Park
, resulted in more than 200,000 people losing their lives, including an estimated 150,000 civilians, though estimates vary.
List of Contents:
Background to the Battle of Okinawa
US Troops Land on the Beaches of Hagushi Bay
Hacksaw Ridge
Shuri Castle
Mobilizing Teenagers
The End of the Resistance
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Background to the Battle of Okinawa
Seen as the last barrier standing between American forces and Imperial Japan, Okinawa was crucial to the success of
Operation Downfall
— the proposed Allied plan for the invasion of the Japanese home islands. First, though, they needed to capture Iwo Jima (now known by its prewar name,
Iwo To
), as that would provide them with vital airfields to bomb Japan and protect the right flank for the Okinawa invasion. American forces landed on the island on February 19, 1945.
Just over a month later, on March 26, American commanders declared the Battle of Iwo Jima over and the island secured. On the same day, Allied forces invaded the Kerama Islands, located just 40 kilometers west of mainland Okinawa, successfully capturing the small archipelago by March 29. This led to mass suicides, as civilians were reportedly brainwashed by the Imperial Japanese military into thinking it was better to take their own lives rather than risk being captured.
'American troops arrive on the beaches of Okinawa,' April 1945 | Wikimedia Commons
US Troops Land on the Beaches of Hagushi Bay
On April 1 — Easter Sunday — more than 50,000 American troops arrived at Hagushi Beach (also called Toguchi Beach) on the western coast of Okinawa. The majority of the soldiers who landed on the island were from the Tenth United States Army, which included divisions from both the US Army and the US Marine Corps. The unit was commanded by Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr., and was the unit's first operational assignment after being formed in June 1944 at Pearl Harbor.
They were expecting a brutal battle at the water's edge. However, the Japanese military decided to change its strategy, and drew the American troops inland instead. Five days after the ships arrived, Japan launched the first of a series of kamikaze attacks. It was the start of Operation Kikusui. During the Battle of Okinawa, close to 2,000 aircraft were deployed in the mass suicide attacks, leading to the deaths of thousands of sailors and the sinking of 36 Allied ships.
'American troops advance,' May 1945 | Wikimedia Commons
Hacksaw Ridge
The most brutal battle in Okinawa arguably took place at the Maeda Escarpment, also known as Hacksaw Ridge. A steep, jagged cliff with a network of caves, tunnels and dugouts, it served as a heavily fortified defensive position for Japan. The US attack there began on April 26 and lasted just under two weeks. Around 2,500 Americans and twice as many Japanese troops reportedly lost their lives in the fighting.
The battle is most remembered for the heroic actions of conscientious objector and medic Desmond Doss. On May 5, Japanese forces rushed US troops in a surprise attack at the top of the cliff. Most soldiers quickly retreated. Doss, though, defied orders, remaining with those who were wounded. This was despite not carrying a weapon. While figures vary, Doss is credited with saving the lives of at least 75 soldiers. The following day, the US captured the Maeda Escarpment.
'US Flag raised over the Shuri Castle on Okinawa,' May 1945 | Wikimedia Commons
Shuri Castle
After securing Hacksaw Ridge, US troops continued their advance southward and by mid-May approached Shuri (now part of the city of Naha). It was a key location as the Imperial Japanese Army had set up its headquarters in the underground of the castle there. Despite a long, tough and deadly slog across heavily protected ridges to reach the castle, the US military managed to deliver a relentless assault once it arrived. Starting on May 25, the USS Mississippi (BB41) battleship shelled the castle for three days. With the fortress ablaze, the Japanese military began to retreat.
According to one historical US military
account
, 'It was estimated that about 200,000 rounds of artillery and naval gunfire had struck Shuri. Numerous air strikes had dropped 1000-pound bombs on it. Mortar shells by the thousands had arched their way into the town area.' On May 29, the
Confederate battle flag
was raised to signify the capture of Shuri Castle. Three days later, it was removed and replaced with a US flag.
'A Marine rifleman views the result of the American bombardment of Naha. Structure skeletons are all that remain of the city with a pre-invasion population of 66,000 people.' | Wikimedia Commons
Mobilizing Teenagers
With the Japanese military fleeing from Shuri, noncombatant Okinawan civilians were left to fend for themselves. It's estimated that around a quarter of Okinawa's nonmilitary population lost their lives during the conflict. 'You have the Battle of Britain, in which your airmen protected the British people. We had the Battle of Okinawa, in which the exact opposite happened. The Japanese army not only starved the Okinawans but used them as human shields,'
said
an official of the Okinawan prefectural government.
As well as adults, teenagers were also caught up in the conflict. More than 1,500 boys aged 14 and older were
reportedly
pushed into front-line service as Iron and Blood Imperial Corps (Tekketsu Kinnotai), while girls were made responsible for nursing injured soldiers and performing tasks that put them in the line of fire. Among these mobilized young women were the Himeyuri students, 222 girls from the Okinawa Daiichi (First) Girls' High School and Okinawa Shihan Women's School, plus 18 teachers, who were positioned on the front lines to take on life-threatening duties such as transporting ammunition and supplies to the soldiers. Few survived the war.
Japanese Commanding General Mitsuru Ushijima | Wikimedia Commons
The End of the Resistance
On June 21, 1945, the island fell silent. After more than 80 days of bloodshed, the Japanese resistance was over. The following day, the US military declared victory in the Battle of Okinawa. In the early hours of June 23 — though some historians place the date as June 22 — Mitsuru Ushijima, the commanding general of the 32nd Army, and his second in command, Isamu Cho, committed seppuku in Mabuni, Itoman city. The anniversary of their deaths is marked by a public holiday in Okinawa known as Irei no Hi
.
Eighty years on, the scars from the Battle of Okinawa are still evident on the island, particularly in relation to the presence of US military bases and the strained relationship the region has with the Japanese government. Human remains from the conflict also continue to be discovered.
According to
Takamatsu Gushiken, a 71-year-old volunteer 'bone hunter,' the remains are still there, but the 'bones are getting smaller and smaller.' Even if uncovered, however, they rarely find their way home. The Guardian reports that the remains of about 1,400 people sit in storage awaiting DNA testing — only six have been identified and returned to their families.
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