Battle Of Okinawa

The Battle of Okinawa (1945) was an amphibious invasion by the United States on the Japanese island of Okinawa, during the closing months of World War II. Okinawa was a large populated area, and once captured it could be used as a staging ground for the invasion of the Japanese mainland.

The Japanese fought fanatically, suffering heavy casualties but also inflicting many on the Americans. At the end, many Japanese soldiers and civilians killed themselves rather than surrendering. The high cost of the battle convinced American military planners that the invasion of the Japanese home islands would also be costly, and was one of the factors leading to President Truman's decision to use the atomic bombs.