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Battle of Okinawa: Quick Facts

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"The Mosquito Bowl" and the human cost of war • Oct. 25, 2026, 10:10 AM ET (CBS)

Facts

Also Known As Operation Iceberg
Date April 1, 1945 - June 21, 1945
Location Japan • Naha • Ryukyu Islands • Chocolate Drop Hill • Shuri
Participants Japan • Allied powers
Context Pacific War • World War II

Photos

U.S. Marines on Okinawa
Black-and-white historical map showing the final phase of World War II in the Far East in 1945, covering eastern China, Manchuria, Korea, Japan, and surrounding seas. Shading distinguishes areas occupied by Allied forces, regions heavily bombed by the Allies, and Japanese cities bombed by the U.S. Air Force or Navy. Arrows and dates indicate Allied advances and key bombing campaigns, with major cities, islands, and battle locations labeled.
Marc Mitscher
Antique map from 1902 showing the southern part of Japan, the Liu-Kiu (Ryukyu) Islands, and Formosa (Taiwan), with an inset highlighting the Bonin and Sulphur Islands. The map details island names, major towns, and marks locations of active volcanoes during the 19th century.
US Coast Guard amphibious vehicles advance toward Okinawa as a Navy battleship fires a bright broadside at Japanese positions, with gun flash visible over the water.
US Navy battleship number 199 fires a barrage of rockets, leaving smoke trails in the sky over the ocean during the Battle of Okinawa, World War II.
Yamato
Ernie Pyle
Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
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Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Timeline

Pearl Harbor attack
Pearl Harbor attack
December 7, 1941
Wake Island
Battle of Wake Island
December 8, 1941 - December 23, 1941
Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
April 9, 1942
Battle of the Coral Sea
Battle of the Coral Sea
May 4, 1942 - May 8, 1942
Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
June 3, 1942 - June 6, 1942
U.S. Marines in combat gear wade ashore from a landing craft onto a sandy beach during the Guadalcanal landing in August 1942.
Battle of Guadalcanal
August 1942 - February 1943
Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
June 19, 1944 - June 20, 1944
Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
October 23, 1944 - October 26, 1944
U.S. Marines on Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
April 1, 1945 - June 21, 1945

Key People

Chester W. Nimitz
Chester W. Nimitz
United States admiral
Curtis E. LeMay
Curtis E. LeMay
American military officer
Simon B. Buckner, Jr.
Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr.
United States general
Marc Mitscher
Marc A. Mitscher
United States naval officer

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