| Description: | American landing craft are massed at Okinawa, a strategic island only 375 miles from the Japanese home islands. Okinawa was invaded by US 10th Army troops March 31, 1945. By April 23, US troops controlled more than three quarters of the island and were assaulting the Japanese defense line above Naha, the capital city. Okinawa is the largest of the central Ryukyu (Loochoo) islands, control of which give American forces valuable sea and air bases striking distance of Japan, Formosa, and Japanese positions on the coast of China. April 30, 1945. (39920-FCG, National Archives). |
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Okinawa
