What was the Allied plan for the planned invasion of Japan’s island of Kyushu in 1945?

Operation Olympic was the Allied plan for invading Japan’s southern island of Kyushu.

Olympic was the first stage of Operation Downfall, the overall proposed invasion of the Japanese home islands. Planners scheduled its opening for November 1, 1945, with landings concentrated on Kyushu. The operation was expected to secure bases for a later attack on the main island of Honshu.

The second stage, Operation Coronet, was planned for the Kantō Plain near Tokyo in March 1946. Japan’s surrender in August 1945 made both operations unnecessary, so neither invasion took place.

Operation Olympic is sometimes confused with Operation Iceberg, the Allied invasion of Okinawa, which occurred from April through June 1945. Olympic was a planned future operation, whereas Iceberg was an actual campaign. The enormous expected casualties helped make the invasion plan a major part of discussions about ending the war.