The Battle of Okinawa was the last major battle of World War 2 and was one of the most gruesome battles during the war.

The battle started on April 1st, 1945 and ended on June 22nd, 1945. 

The Battle of Okinawa happened due to the U.S. ground forces wanting to secure the island. This led to the removal of the last barrier standing between the U.S. forces and the Japanese. 

The Battle of Okinawa began when U.S ground troops landed at Hagushi. 50,000 U.S soldiers had gone ashore and established a beachhead that was 5 miles long.

By April 1945, US forces were ready to launch an assault on Okinawa. An airbase here would bring US B-29 bombers within range of the Japanese home islands.