miles (563 km.) from the southern Japanese island of Kyushu (key-OO-shoe).
Around June 21, 1945, U.S. and Allied
Forces took control of Okinawa in one of
the war’s bloodiest campaigns. The island was to be used as a base to invade
Japan.
But Okinawa was unnecessary in the
conclusion of the war. World War II ended
on Sept. 2, after the atomic bomb was
dropped on the two Japanese cities of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Japan lost most of its empire in the
settlement. Okinawa remained in U.S.
hands until 1972, when it was officially
returned to Japan. In the meantime, the
United States constructed 42 bases on the
Ryukyu Islands, including a major miliOkinawans are incensed over the retary installation on Okinawa to serve as a
cent charges that a U.S. Air Force staff
base for long-range bombing (B-52s) in
sergeant sexually assaulted a Okinawan
Vietnam.
civilian. A similar situation occurred in
The recent alleged assault of an
1995 involving three service men. The
Okinawan
woman by a U.S. serviceman
outrage is so great this time, however,
has
sparked
the latest in a long history of
that it could radically alter the long-term
public outcries. Okinawans were incensed
agreement between the United States and
in the past about such events, in large
Japan that established a major U.S. milipart, because U.S. military personnel were
tary base on the Japanese island of
essentially immune from Japanese jusOkinawa.
tice. For the first time, however, the U.S.
Okinawa is part of a Japanese archimilitary is apparently permitting this case
pelago called the Nansei-Shoto Islands
to be tried in the civilian court system.
(known in the West as the Ryukyu IsWhat prompted this decision was the
lands). This group of 100 islands stretches
concern by the U.S. government that Japafor nearly 700 miles (1,127 km.) along the
nese and Okinawan officials might discrest of an undersea volcanic mountain
continue or modify the agreement to keep
range extending from Japan to Taiwan.
more than 25,000 U.S. service personnel
The entire string of islands contains
on Okinawa. Given this
an area of only 1,205 square
threat, the U.S. military
miles (3,120 sq. km.). This is
is attempting to appease
about one-fortieth of the area
East China
opposition by allowing
of the state of North CaroSea
JAPAN
the local justice system
lina. Okinawa is the largest
CHINA
to try the case.
island in the group, with 454
Okinawa
After more than 50
square miles (1,176 sq. km.).
Iwo Jima
OKINAWA
years
on Okinawan soil,
The island is 70 miles long ISLAND
the
United
States is realMariana
Is.
Marshall
and only about 7 miles wide
Islands
izing
that
its military
(112 by 11 km.) and is loPhilippine
Okinawa
Gilbert
service
personnel
may
Caroline
Islands
cated almost midway beSea
Islands
0°
be
uninvited
and
untween Japan and Taiwan.
wanted guests. This is
Located at 27 degrees
0
15 mi
in spite of the fact that
north latitude, Okinawa has
15 percent of Okinawa’s
©2001 maps.com
0
15 km
a very warm and wet cli- Geography in the News 08/3/01
employment is tied to
mate, with the warm Japathe
U.S
military
presence.
Next
were
the
Palau
Islands
(Peleliu
and
nese ocean current strongly influencing
This case may signal a change in attiMorotai) and the Philippines (Leyte).
the weather. During summer and early
tude
toward civilian laws for U.S. miliWith
new
bases
in
the
Marianas
autumn, typhoons travel northward along
tary
personnel stationed around the
(Guam),
U.S.
planes
were
within
1,500
East Asia and bring frequent damaging
world.
miles (2,414 km.) of Tokyo, still a great
winds and flooding.
And that is Geography in the News,
distance. Iwo Jima is located half the disOkinawans possess a distinctive reAugust
3, 2001. #583
tance
between
Guam
and
Tokyo,
and
it
gional culture, influenced by the Japawas
the
scene
of
the
next
bloody
battle.
nese, Chinese and perhaps Filipinos. The
(The author is a Geography Professor at
Okinawa, however, was to become
geographic location and size of Okinawa
Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.)
the final island captured. It was only 350
made it a stopping point for Japanese and
ANOTHER
BATTLE FOR
OKINAWA
Chinese ships as early as the 600s A.D. By
the 1400s, Okinawa was linked to a trade
network operating throughout East and
Southeast Asia.
In 1874, China relinquished claims
on the Ryukyus, giving Japan sovereignty
over them. With the exception of a period
during and following World War II, the
Ryukyu Islands have been part of Japan
ever since.
Between 1894 and 1942, Japan’s expansionism enlarged its empire to cover
much of China, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, the East Indies, and even some of
the Aleutian Islands.
Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec.
7, 1941. By April, U.S. Lt. Col. Jimmy
Doolittle’s 16 B-25s took off from a carrier
650 miles (1,050 km.) east of Japan and
bombed Tokyo. The planes could not
reach their bases in China and 15 crashed.
But it was clear to the U.S. military that
bases nearer Japan would be necessary if
continual bombing and eventual invasion were to be successful.
Hence, U.S. military strategy was to
island-hop toward Japan, beginning in
the South Pacific with the Gilbert Islands
(the two islands of Makin and Tarawa).
The idea was not to capture every island,
but to take those that could serve as bases
for aircraft, in order to leapfrog to the next
key islands.
The Marshall Islands (Kwajalein)
were next, followed by the Mariana Islands (Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam).
OKINAWA
© 2001 maps.com