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THE BATTLE OF OKINAWA 255

US advance

Shuri Castle

COLLAPSE OF THE SOUTHERN DEFENSE

MAY 12–JUNE 21, 1945

US troops continued their grueling advance

through monsoon rains and took Shuri Castle

on May 29—a major breakthrough. The Japanese

retreated south to the Kiyan Peninsula, where

the remnants held out until June 21. Fewer than

10,000 of over 100,000 Japanese and Okinawan

soldiers surrendered were finally captured.

6

▷ Beachhead on Okinawa

The invasion was a logistical challenge

for the US forces, who needed to

land thousands of men and large

amounts of supplies onto a remote

island. Here, stores are loaded onto

the beach during the operation.

Apr 10 US

troops land and

clear the island.

Mar 26–30 US frogmen

and minesweepers clear

the invasion beaches

of obstacles.

Jun 4 US Marines land;

4,000 Japanese troops

hidden in the underground

naval headquarters commit

suicide on June 13.

Apr 16–21 US forces capture Ie Shima

and its air base; Pulitzer Prize–winning

US journalist Ernie Pyle is killed while

covering the invasion.

US advance

Shuri Line

4 THE PUSH SOUTH APRIL 4–MAY 12, 1945

US forces pushing south faced intensive fighting

but by April 9 reached the heavily fortified Shuri

Line. As in Iwo Jima, the Japanese hid in and

fought from caves; the US Marines and soldiers

resorted to flamethrowers as they fought hill by

hill to advance. They were repelled numerous

times, with mounting casualties, before

breaking through to Naha on May 12.

Kamikaze attacks on Allied Fleet

COUNTERATTACK AT SEA

APRIL 6–JUNE 22, 1945

On April 6, Japan targeted Task Force 58, off

the coast of Okinawa, with a campaign of

kamikaze attacks launched from the Japanese

island of Kyushu to the north. Many smaller

ships were sunk and larger warships were

damaged. A Japanese naval task force led by

the Yamato—the world’s largest battleship—

was intercepted by US torpedo bombers and

destroyed long before it reached Okinawa.

5

Last pocket of

Japanese resistance

Apr 6 Kamikaze aircraft

from Kyushu attack US

Task Force 58.

Apr 13 US Marines reach

Hedo, the northernmost

point of the island.

Mar 31 US artillery is positioned

on Keise Shima islets.

Apr 13–20 Japanese troops fight

to defend the hills of Mount Yae,

before being overrun.

E

a s

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C

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S

e

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Kerama

Islands

Keise Shima

Tsugen Shima

Aguni Shima

Iheya Islands

le Shima

O

K

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N

A

W

A

Oruku

Peninsula

Kiyan

Peninsula

Motobu Peninsula

Cape Hedo

Mount Yae

Ha

gu

sh

i (^) B
ay
Task Force 51
P
A
C
I
F
I
C
O
C
E
A
N
Naha
Hagushi
Kurawa
Nago
Tako
Bise
Itoman
Shuri
Yonabaru
Kuba
Kin
Taira
Aha
Hedo
US 10th Army
Task Force 58
Japanese 32nd
Army
US_254-255_Battle_of_Okinawa.indd 255 24/05/19 1:17 PM