The Battle of Okinawa: The Pacific's Bloodiest

Uncover the untold story of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 - the Pacific's climactic showdown. Learn how this pivotal conflict shaped WWII's conclusion, altering history forever.

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[officernealy]

Going to the Okinawa Peace Memorial Museum was one of the best experiences in my trip to Japan. When I was in Tokyo, something that annoyed me a tad was when visiting one of their biggest museums, all they had on WW2 was a single wall that had a very “woe is me” attitude regarding themselves. In Okinawa however pleasently surprised me that the museum went into great deal about the sheer brutality of the battle and how the native Ryukyu people were the biggest victims of IJA atrocities.

However, the biggest shock was finding my great Uncle’s name on the memorial wall. My Uncle (his nephew) told me the family thought he died in Saipan, but it turns out he actually made it all the way to Naha. It must of been hell for him but I’m proud he did what he could. Glad I know the truth, Uncle Jay.

[TheCityOfSteel]

Just a reminder that allied casualties were 56, 000 with around 12, 000 dead. This was one battle. 20 years of war in Afghanistan and 8 years in Iraq lead to less than 9000 American deaths. Okinawa was a bloodbath. Its estimated 77, 000 Japanese soldiers and conscripts died. It blows my mind to this day.

[HumbleAshe]

I recall seeing how parts of the Battle of Okinawa were portrayed in Hacksaw Ridge. A bit embellished in parts, but the chaos and blood in the battles on the ground were something that always stuck out a lot like some of what we had seen with D-Day in Saving Private Ryan. (And of course, massive respect to Desmond Doss for saving so many people during the battle.)

[BigDaddy-drgf]

My dad was assigned to an attack transport, as a yeoman, during the assault on Okinawa. After the war he met my mother and they married. At the wedding, he met his brother-in-law and found out that they had both served in the Pacific; my uncle was a Marine and my father a Navy sailor. On further conversation they found out that my uncle was aboard the exact same attack transport, during the invasion, that my father was stationed on. My father received shrapnel wounds in the back from a Japanese Kamikaze attack and my Uncle was shot in the shoulder and leg. My father went on to make a career in the Navy and My uncle was medically discharged.
RIP Uncle Jim and Dad. You both served your country well. I miss you both. Thank you all veterans for your service.

[TotallyCoral]

My dads uncle died in 1945 at the Pacific sea during this battle from wounds. My grandpa was in the 5th division of marines who went in to Iwo Jima. He survived. It’s surprising to learn how terrifyingly horrible these two battles were. Rest in peace

[stigthe]

As a native Japanese living on the mainland, I’ve never heard of the details of the battle of Okinawa and it was nice to hear it on the day when Japan surrendered to the allies. Keep up the nice work!! Also a quick side note: Shuri (modern day Naha) was and still is the largest city in Okinawa since the 13th century

[Jayjay-qeum]

In 1995, the Okinawa government erected a memorial monument named the Cornerstone of Peace in Mabuni, the site of the last fighting in southeastern Okinawa. The memorial lists all the known names of those who died in the battle, civilian and military, Japanese and foreign. As of 2022, the monument lists 241, 686 names.

[flycatcher]

Grandfather was a Radioman, Tec4, in the Army's 77th Division, 305th Regiment on Okinawa. He survived. He spoke little of the battle, but what he shared will stay with me forever. RIP.

[grapeshot]

My great-uncle was a Montford Point Marine, and he fought in the Battle of Okinawa.

[loyalistmundicomedentisdux]

Okinawa really was a horror. I remember watching this documentary at some point. Most of it was like all documentaries until it got to one part. The cliffs. It had showed footage and images of civilians tossing themselves off cliffs. And it showed the aftermath of the falls. It was hard seeing crumpled piles of flesh of what moments ago was a little child was not even a few years old.
It's among the greatest of horrors of the entire war.

[daehr]

Met a Marine once who fought on Okinawa. He was in his 90s. Still a devil dog - man could have probably killed me if he wished to and I'm almost a century younger. I asked him about Okinawa and he said that, after the war, he heard it was the worst battle of the Pacific, "but I didn't think it was too bad...it was like any other battle." still raises hairs on my arms.

[vlbz]

I learned after watching Hacksaw Ridge, that Desmond Doss was such a legend during the fight, the movie actually toned it down a bit, fearing it wouldn't be believable.

[NostroDio]

Thank you for mentioning Desmond Doss. As a fellow from his Virginia, he is truly heald as a hero every year and has an expressway named after him. The movie Hacksaw Ridge tells his incredible story.

[ignitionfrn]

0:35 - Chapter 1 - Japan last stand
3:50 - Chapter 2 - Typhoon of steel
7:55 - Chapter 3 - Tropical nightmare
13:05 - Chapter 4 - The aftermath

[jameshudkins]

My Dad was in the Merchant Marine anchored off Okinawa waiting for Naha to be taken. He was surprised how he could watch planes take off from an aircraft carrier fly over Naha, watch flak from the ground and the planes return to the carrier all in a few minutes.

He also remarked how really deafening battle was. He said it was the loudest thing he ever heard.

[carringtonbearden]

The Pacific mini series on HBO did a really good job a depicting the brutality of war as well as the mental toll it took on the minds of the GIs.

[tfox]

Living on Okinawa was crazy to think about sometimes. It’s a really cool place now but when you’d be out in the field or driving across the island it was hard not to think of how absolutely horrible it would’ve been to fight across it. The terrain is really no joke and the weather can be even worse

[Mondo]

My father was in the second wave of troops landing on Okinawa the first day. He was a US Army Combat Engineeer. He was involved in a lot of cave fighting, which left him with some terrible memories. He was within 100 yards of General Buckner when he was killed by a mortar round. He then fought all the way to the southern end of the island.

[ProvidenceNL]

This battle shows a fraction of what an invasion of the true home islands of Japan would have been. The country would have been utterly destroyed.

[bigbird]

I had a uncle who apparently served in Okinawa as a mine sweeper in the Australian Navy respect us marines for their tough fighting