NHK Documentary

Civilians in the Crossfire: The Battle of Okinawa

75 years ago, near the end of World War II, Japan and the US engaged in a desperate battle in Okinawa. The Americans used weapons of unprecedented lethality, targeting civilians as well as the Japanese military. Civilians sought shelter in caves alongside the Japanese troops they thought would defend them, only to face hunger and threats of execution if they surrendered. This is the story of ordinary people who were caught in the conflict and perished during the battle's final month.