What was the first phase of Operation Downfall, aimed at invading Kyushu, called?

The first phase of Operation Downfall, aimed at invading Kyushu, was called Operation Olympic.

Operation Olympic was the proposed American invasion of southern Kyushu. It was intended to seize airfields and other positions that could support the later invasion of Honshu. The planned landing date was November 1, 1945, and the operation would have involved a large amphibious force supported by naval gunfire and air power.

Japanese leaders anticipated an Allied landing and organized defenses across the home islands. Kyushu’s geography, including beaches, mountains, and limited transport routes, shaped both American planning and Japanese preparations. The operation never began because Japan accepted the Allied surrender terms in August.

Olympic is often confused with Operation Coronet, the planned second phase of Downfall. Coronet was intended to attack Honshu, especially the Kantō Plain near Tokyo, in March 1946. Together, the two operations demonstrate that Japan’s surrender prevented a major invasion rather than ending a campaign already underway on the home islands.