Battle of Okinawa

The Battle of Okinawa was a major Pacific campaign in the final months of World War II, fought from April to June 1945.

American forces invaded the Japanese island to establish a staging base for the planned invasion of mainland Japan.

The battle was among the war's bloodiest, with massive casualties on both sides and among Okinawan civilians.

Japanese kamikaze attacks inflicted heavy naval losses.

The battle's ferocity influenced the American decision to use atomic bombs rather than invade Japan directly.