Operation Olympic was planned as an invasion of Kyushu, Japan’s southwestern main island.
Olympic formed the first stage of Operation Downfall, the proposed Allied invasion of the Japanese home islands. Its scheduled start date, called X-Day, was November 1, 1945. The plan called for American forces to seize the southern portion of Kyushu and use it as a base for later operations.
The invasion was expected to require a huge naval and air effort. Allied planners selected landing areas near Miyazaki, Ariake, and Kushikino. Capturing southern Kyushu would have provided airfields, ports, and staging areas for the next phase, Operation Coronet, aimed at the Kantō Plain near Tokyo.
Japan’s surrender made the invasion unnecessary. Kyushu is sometimes confused with Honshu because both islands were part of the planned Downfall campaign. Honshu was the target of Coronet, while Kyushu was the target of Olympic. Neither operation was carried out.