Okinawa resident Hiromasa Iha can still recall the screams of his classmates and teachers after a US military jet crashed into his elementary school, killing 18 people more than six decades ago. Iha, ...

The Battle of Okinawa began on April 1, 1945 when the U.S. troops, in their push for mainland Japan, landed on the island. It lasted until late June, killing more than 200,000 people.

The Battle of Okinawa killed a quarter of the island's population, leading to a 27-year U.S. occupation and a heavy American troop presence to date.