The Battle of Okinawa ended on June 22, 1945, months before Japan’s formal surrender.
The battle began on April 1, 1945, when Allied forces landed on Okinawa, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands. It became the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War and brought Allied forces close to Japan’s home islands. Fighting included intense ground combat, naval operations, and large-scale kamikaze attacks.
The battle ended after the deaths of Japanese commanders Mitsuru Ushijima and Isamu Chō, who died by ritual suicide on June 22. Organized resistance continued in isolated areas afterward, but the main battle was considered over on that date.
Okinawa’s cost influenced Allied planning for a possible invasion of Japan. More than 12,000 Allied personnel were killed or missing, while Japanese military and civilian deaths were far higher. The battle therefore formed part of the background to the surrender decisions made later that summer.