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War, peace, occupation, reversion reviewed

Date Posted: 1998-05-09

The Okinawan Reversion Story War, Peace, Occupation, Reversion by Gordon Warner documents the unabashed account of the history of Okinawa from prewar to the reversion. Excerpts of the battle beginnings when the Tenth Army lands on Higashi beach unopposed and the Battle of Okinawa begins. A distinct picture is sent to the reader about an oppressed people and a country in turmoil. This documentary depicts scenes of Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper columnist Ernie Pyle killed on Ie Shima, the Kamikaze plunges straight down into the flight deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise, and Marines taking Sugar Loaf Hill that guards the entrance to Shuri, the location of Japanese 32nd Army Headquarters.

History majors and Japanese enthusiasts will find a wealth of information concerning events such as on May 6, 1949 when President Truman approves NSC 13/3 separating the Ryukyu Islands from Japan. In addition to Sept 7, the Secretary of State Dean Acheson and Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson sign memo establishing U.S. goals for a Japanese peace treaty. The two agree that the documents should "secure to the United States exclusive strategic control of the Ryukyu Islands." Other events documented are June 27 1964, Sato Eisaku resigns his government post to run for the president of the LDP and with the post Prime Minister. He releases "The Fight for Tomorrow," a campaign platform, calling for Okinawa reversion within the context of the U.S. - Japanese security alliance. All in all from the escalating war, peace time, occupation and finally the reversion this book makes for an interesting read.

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