On this day - 22 June

The Battle of Okinawa was one of the most brutal battles of World War 2. It lasted 82 days from April 1st until June 22nd 1945. The Allied forces wanted to seize control of Okinawa to use the air base to launch their planned attack on Japan.

The Japanese were in a largely defensive position throughout the battle and drafted in many to support the army and navy, including local Ryukyuan people and school children who were forced to ""volunteer"" for service. The Allied forces included US, British, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian contributions. There were numerous losses on both sides of the battle, with the most complete tally of those who died named on the Cornerstone of Peace monument in Okinawa. There are over 242,000 names on the list.