Okinawa 1945: The Last Island Before the Bomb

‘A skilful narrative of combat history … exceedingly vivid.’ – The New York Times

As the siege of Stalingrad was the ultimate scene of carnage at the Eastern Front, the battle of Okinawa proved to be the bloodiest of the Pacific war. Almost the entire Japanese kamikaze effort of the Second World War was directed against the Americans at Okinawa. At the beginning of the battle on 1 April 1945, over 1 million Americans, Japanese and Okinawans were centred on the small Pacific island; by 23 Jun...