The Battle of Okinawa

By: Kristen Powlas, Tahzeen Alam, Evan Hrbek, and Scholar

Beal
Why Did The Battle Happen?
● The purpose of the battle was part of plan decided
by the Americans that would help achieve a victory
from the war.
● It was one out of a three step plan.
● This was a step in the “Island Hopping”
● The Battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest
battles of the war and that was the Americans goal,
to prove a point.

Figure: Marines pictured during the Battle of Okinawa

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa
 Location
● Small Japanese island of Okinawa
● Approximately has an area of 466 square miles
● It is within 800 miles from the capital of Japan, Tokyo
● Fifth largest island in Japan
● In between the East China Sea and Philippine Sea
● Large amount of caves that were bombed and destroyed during the
war
● Has a population of 450,000
● Last land invaded by Americans before entering mainland Japan
● Americans wanted to invade Okinawa to use as a base and a
launch pad for attacks on mainland Japan
● A part of the islands of Ryukyus, which wasn’t as developed as
pre-war mainland Japan Figure: Map of Okinawa that includes major cities and seas
https://www.economist.com/asia/2010/01/14/the-new-battle
-of-okinawa
 Who?
Allies Japanese

VS.
Figure: The American Flag
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_t
he_United_States

Figure: The Japanese Flag

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Japan#/me
dia/File:Flag_of_Japan.svg

Figure: The UK Flag

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_t
he_United_Kingdom#/media/File:Flag_
of_the_United_Kingdom.svg
Draft
● Men between the age of 18 to 37 years old
● 34 million men registered by the end of the war
● Congress debated about drafting women in 1945
○ They were nurses but not considered in the army
● African Americans were included in the draft later on, but
limited to 10% of soldiers
● Many Marines drafted were technicians and non-combatant
civilians
● Engineers were drafted and used to build new roads and
infrastructure
● Japanese drafted many civilians who were willing to serve in
honor and loyalty to their country
Figure: A newspaper article from WWII about the draft and how it affects
men in the country.
https://blog.genealogybank.com/genealogy-101-learning-more-about-world-
war-ii-draft-records.html
 Dates
Kamikaze Attacks
● Over 400 Kamikaze
The Battle Intensifies planes were unleashed
L-Day ● The American troops on American Naval
finally locate the vessels in the Pacific.
● US navy ships rained a pre-landing Japanese defenders ● 20 ships were sunk
bombardment of 44,825 shells ● The American forces and 157 damaged
● 33,000 rockets split to cover two ● Japanese lost more
● 22,500 mortar shells separate assault fronts. than 1,100 planes to
● Napalm attacks by carrier planes on ● Up North are the Allied naval forces.
the invasion beaches (Tsukiyama Marine divisions, and ● Japanese flew 1,465
1999). down in the South are kamikaze aircraft in
the Infantry divisions. large-scale attacks\
April 1-4,1945 April 6-7, 1945 April 9-21,1945

April 1, 1945 U.S. Advancements April 5, 1954 April 6- June 22, 1945
● US Marines take
two airfields Operation Ten-Go Capture of le Shima
● Thousands of ● Japanese attempt at a naval ● Guarded by about 7,000
civilians turn counter-attack. The strike Japanese soldiers
themselves in to force consisted of 10 surface ● Japanese held off the U.S
Marines. vessels for six days
● Objective: slow down the
● Declared secure after 4,706
American navy
● Yamato was sunk as well as Japanese were killed and
the other vessels 149 captured with 1,500
Okinawan civilians dead
Figure: The Japanese battleship Yamato Figure: Kamikaze in Okinawa
Source: Wikipedia.com “Japanese battleship Yamato” Source:
https://www.reddit.com/r/WWIIplanes/comments/a3h3l2/a_japanese_kamikaze_mom
ents_before_being_shot/
 Dates Continued

Death of Commander
US surround the Shuri Castle Ushijima
● U.S. surrounded Shuri Proposed Surrender ● Japanese Lieutenant
Castle which was the ● The U.S. generals General Mitsuru Ushjima
largest Japan base offer surrendering commits ritual suicide
● The U.S. captured Sugar terms to Japan with his staff after
Loaf Hill, Conical Hill, ● Japan does not reporting the loss of
and Chocolate Drop hill respond so U.S. steps Okinawa to his superiors.
up attack
May 29, 1945 June 17, 1945 June 22, 1945

May 13-24, 1945 June 10, 1945 June 22, 1945

The fall of Shuri Japanese defense weakened The end of the battle
● U.S. took over Shuri ● American forces divided the ● American forces
● Shuri was left in complete ruin Japanese defence into three overwhelm the island's
after being pounded by 200,000 segments. determined Japanese
rounds of naval and artillery ● Japanese could not organize any defenders
gunfire and aerial bombing orchestrated defensive actions or
counter-attacks.
● Key turning point for the American
and Allied Forces
 Turning Point
● The Battle of Okinawa was a turning point in the war itself.
Winning this battle would give America access to important air
strips.
● On April 4th, the Japanese were facing great defeat on land but
they increased their attack at sea with the Americans.
● On June 18th, a great American General, General Buckner, was
killed by the Japanese. This angered the Allies, resulting in a
greater motive to win this battle.
● Three days after the Generals death, the Americans had
successfully reached the other side of the island. Less than 24
hours later, the Japanese “surrendered” by suicide.
● On June 22nd, the Japanese Lieutenant General Mitsuru
Ushijima committed suicide with many other japanese soldiers
instead of surrendering. They believe this death would give
them more dignity than to be captured, tortured and
Figure: Japanese Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima
“brainwashed” by the Americans. https://www.revolvy.com/page/Mitsuru-Ushijima
 Tactics
● Japanese
○ Underground fortifications with numerous entrances connected by
an intricate system of tunnels.
○ Larger hill masses tunneling gave great maneuverability where the
heaviest bombs and shells could not reach
○ The most striking aspect of the enemy's resistance was the strength
in artillery including quantities of light and medium artillery and
dual purpose guns
● American
○ Self-propelled assault guns, massed artillery, and supremacy in the
air over the scene of battle
○ New warfare: Blowtorch and Corkscrew (tank with flamethrower)
○ Tactical aim would be to consolidate and advance the American
lines for the purpose of gaining a better position for the big
attack.(Appleman, Burns, Gugeler, and Stevens) “Blowtorch and Corkscrew”
Appleman, Roy Edgar, et al. Okinawa: The Last Battle. Vol. 2. Historical
Division, Department of the Army, 1948.
Casualties
● Japanese: 110, 071
○ Hard to tell between soldiers and
civilians
● U.S: 82,000
○ 4,907 Navy
○ 4,645 Army
○ 2,938 Marine Corp
● Japanese Suicide
● “They were taught that Americans were
fiends, worse than devils, and that if women
were caught they would be raped and men Figure: Cliff in Saipan, Japan where many Japanese
jumped to their death during the war to escape being
would be killed,” Miyazato said. “It was the captured by the Americans.
same as ordering them to commit suicide. GettyImages-53378876.jpg
They were taught it was better to die.
 Uniforms
● Army uniforms were green and pink in WWII
● Displayed rank, unit and branch
● M-1943 uniforms were used in combat because of
their comfort and material
● Pocket space and belts with different
compartments were needed to hold weapons
● In Okinawa, men were given one extra set of
clothes
● Japanese in Okinawa dressed as civilians to stop
from getting captured

Figure: Example of soldier’s uniforms in the Battle of Okinawa.

https://www.historynet.com/battle-of-okinawa-operation-iceberg.htm
Weapons and Technology (Japanese)
● Kamikaze Warfare
○ Suicide pilots that who deliberately crashed themselves into enemy
targets
○ Mainly attacked ships that belonged to the allies
○ Was the Japanese’ most secret weapon in the battle
● Didn’t have as much advanced technology
○ Still operated with bolt-action rifles
○ Lack of armour protection due to lack of raw materials
■ Technology was mainly directed towards naval forces
○ Still operated with clip feeding machine guns
○ Overall did not have as wide of a variety of weapons like the U.S did
● Assault Rifles
○ Type 99
Figure: Examples of Bayonets
○ Arisaka
○ 44 year carbine “M4 Bayonet.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19
Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4_bayonet.
■ Bayonets were applied to these specific weapons
● Machine Guns
○ Type 100
○ Type 92
Weapons and Technology (U.S.)
● Had a variety of advanced technology unlike Japan
● The Thompson
○ The most common submachine gun used during the Battle of Okinawa and
WWII
○ Also known as “The Tommy Gun”
○ Very light, easy to carry. Mainly given to non commissioned officers
○ Being almost ineffective against light armor, the U.S added a 50 round drum to
make it more effective
● Assault Rifles with Bayonets Figure: Example of a Hand Grenade
“M4 Bayonet.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia
○ M1 Garand Foundation, 19 Mar. 2019,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4_bayonet.
○ M1A1 Carbine “Mk. II Grenade.” World War II Wiki,
○ M1903 Springfield world-war-2.wikia.org/wiki/Mk._II_Grena
de.
■ All effective from long range
● Hand Grenades
○ Contains explosives to be thrown at the enemy
○ U.S manufactured over 87 million grenades for this battle and the remainder of
WWII
Damages
● In result of Kamikaze Warfare, the U.S
suffered:
○ 36 sunken ships
○ 368 damaged ships
○ 763 lost aircrafts
● The Japanese suffered:
○ Up to 1,100 Japanese planes were
destroyed

Figure: Result of Kamikaze attacks

“Why Were Casualties So High in the Battle of Okinawa?”
History Hit,
www.historyhit.com/casualties-battle-of-okinawa/.
Sources
Yahara, Hiromichi, and Frank B. Gibney The Battle for Okinawa. Wiley, 1997.

“Battle of Okinawa.” Preceden, www.preceden.com/timelines/317234-battle-of-okinawa.

Appleman, Roy Edgar, et al. Okinawa: The Last Battle. Vol. 2. Historical Division, Department of the Army, 1948.

“The Battle for Okinawa: One Marine's Story.” History Extra, 29 Mar. 2018,

www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/the-battle-for-okinawa-one-marines-story/.

Decuers, Larry. “‘Pinks and Greens.’” The National WWII Museum | New Orleans, The National World War II

Museum, 26 Nov. 2017, www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/pinks-and-greens.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Pacific War.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 21

Dec. 2018, www.britannica.com/topic/Pacific-War/The-war-against-Japan-1945#ref337326.

Sources
Gow, Ian, and H.P Willmott. Okinawa 1945: Gateway to Japan. Grub Street, 1986.

“Battle of Okinawa Ends.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Feb. 2010,

www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-okinawa-ends.

Trueman. “The Battle of Okinawa.” History Learning Site, History Learning Site, 19 May 2015,
www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/the-pacific-war-1941-to-1945/the-battle-of-okinawa/.

Walton, Rodney Earl. Big Guns, Brave Men: Mobile Artillery Observers and the Battle for Okinawa. Naval Institute
Press, 2013.

Madden, Keith. Personal interview. 8 March. 2019.

“World War 2 Weapons.” World War 2 Weapons, www.history-of-american-wars.com/world-war-2-weapons.html.

Peer Review