Honshu, Japanese from mainland was only 340 miles away from Okinawa and would make Okinawa and extremely valuable asset for the future strategic bombing runs that would cripple the Japanese …show more content…
The positions were incredibly well fortified again to do the prolonged island hopping campaign by Allied forces in the Pacific. The Battle of Okinawa was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific during World War II. The objectives specifically were Yontan and Kadena airfields, which once secured allowed for combat support aircraft to utilize them. These airfields were swiftly acquired as the rest of the forces met with little opposition moved to Northern Okinawa. Allied forces were able to corner Japanese forces on the Motobu Peninsula as additional Allied forces landed on the opposite side of the peninsula. The Allied forces would have to fight continuously against a constant bombardment of kamikaze attacks. Simultaneously, the 96th Infantry and the 7th Infantry moved across southern Okinawa going head to head with fierce resistance respectively. After clearing area known as Cactus Ridge and The Pinnacle Allied forces moved to the next objective known as Kakazu Ridge where they encountered more tenacious resistance and even a wide spread Japanese offensive that was fought of twice until a Japanese’s retreat. The Allies now had three divisions on line, each in control of a specific front which inevitably lead to General John R. Hodge laughing an offensive that would go on to be the single largest offensive in the