Volcano and Ryukyu Islands campaign

Volcano and Ryukyu Islands campaign
Part of the Pacific War of the Second World War
Two American soldiers fighting in the Battle of Okinawa.
Date 19 February 2 – 21 June 1945 Location Volcano and Ryukyu Islands, Pacific Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United States British Empire Canada Australia New Zealand	Japan
Commanders and leaders
Chester W. Nimitz Holland Smith Simon B. Buckner † Joseph W. Stilwell Ray Spruance Marc A. Mitscher Bruce Fraser	Tadamichi Kuribayashi † Mitsuru Ushijima † Isamu Cho † Hiromichi Yahara (POW) Seiichi Itō † Minoru Ota † Kosaku Aruga † Keizō Komura
Casualties and losses
19.840 died or missing in action 58.105 wounded 33.096 non-combat casualties 79 ships sunk and damaged 773 aircrafts destroyed	90.400 died or missing in action 17.000 wounded 7.671 captured 21 ships sunk and damaged 3.130 aircrafts destroyed 75.000–140.000 civilians died or missing in action

The Volcano and Ryukyu Islands campaign (January – June 1945) was a series of battles and engagements between the Allies and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific War during the Second World War.

The campaign happened in the Volcano and Ryukyu Islands. There were two major battles: Iwo Jima and Okinawa. One of the largest naval battles were Operation Ten-Go. This campaign was one of the first steps of the Allies to invade mainland Japan (codenamed Operation Downfall), with Iwo Jima and Okinawa in American hands they were able to blockade and bomb major Japanese bases and cities and eventually an Allied invasion of Japan. However, this was unnecessary after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki plus the Soviet invasion of Manchuria which ultimately forced Japan to surrender unconditionally without the Allies sending massivs troops to Japanese mainland.

• Japan campaign