March 1945
Battle of Okinawa
After 3 months fighting 110,000 Japanese soldiers & 150,000 civilians died
Historical place archive
Browse historical events and people recorded at Okinawa in Japan. The records below are rendered directly from the World History Database into this page's initial HTML.
After 3 months fighting 110,000 Japanese soldiers & 150,000 civilians died
Decides because the navy & army will fight at Okinawa it is not a good time for peace
Commands the Japanese defense HQ of 85,000 troops
US troops land on Okinawa Island
Yahara's operational planning emphasizes defense in depth, conservation of forces, and attritional fighting in southern Okinawa.
Ushijima allows the American landing to proceed largely unopposed while preserving his main forces in fortified southern positions.
Ugaki directs massed naval kamikaze operations as the first Kikusui attack strikes American forces off Okinawa.
Takes advantage of bad weather to wihdraw to the south & make a last stand
Cho supports a major Japanese counteroffensive that leaves the Thirty-Second Army weakened after costly attacks on American lines.
Ushijima authorizes a broad counterattack that fails to break the American positions and causes severe Japanese losses.
The US forces divide the Japanese garrison into 3 encircled pockets
Ushijima sends a farewell message and orders remaining Japanese troops to continue resistance as the battle approaches its end.
Ugaki's command launches the tenth and final massed Kikusui attack as the Okinawa campaign reaches its conclusion.
Cho commits suicide alongside Ushijima at the end of organized Japanese resistance on Okinawa.
Ushijima commits suicide with his chief of staff as organized Japanese resistance on Okinawa ends.
Commits ritual suicide
Death of Mitsuru Ushijima, commits ritual suicide during the Battle of Okinawa
Death of Mitsuru Ushijima, commits ritual suicide during the Battle of Okinawa. Commits ritual suicide
Ugaki flies on a final special-attack mission after the imperial surrender broadcast and is killed.
Premier Sato visits the United States, during the visit, an agreement is reached for the return of Okinawa to Japanese control, to be carried out in 1972
Under the terms of the agreement, the US is to retain its rights to bases on the island, but these were to be nuclear-free. Premier Sato visits the United States, during the visit, an agreement is reached for the return of Okinawa to Japanese control, to be carried out in 1972
The US returns Okinawa to Japan. Sato & Nixon talk about the return of Okinawa
The US returns Okinawa to Japan
Provenance
These entries are generated from stored World History Database records whose country and place fields match Japan and Okinawa. Names, dates, event labels and descriptions are reviewed and normalised as the database develops. Historical place names may not match modern administrative boundaries.
This database is a research index. For formal scholarly citation, verify individual claims against appropriate primary, archival, academic or specialist sources.