Battle of Okinawa

The Battle of Okinawa was the penultimate engagement of World War II, before the Soviet Invasion of Manchuria, and the last time Japanese and Americans fought each other. It was fought on the Japanese island of Okinawa from April 1 to June 22 of 1945. The American forces consisted of the US Army, the US Marines, and the Fifth Fleet of the US Navy against Imperial Japan's army and navy.

Engagements

 * Operation Ten-Go: On April 7, 1945, the Japanese 2nd Fleet fought a naval battle with Task Force 58. The result was an American victory, and the Japanese battleship Yamato (the biggest warship ever built) sinking.
 * Hacksaw Ridge: The Americans fought the Japanese on the Maeda Escarpment, which they nicknamed "Hacksaw Ridge". This skirmish is especially notable because it's where Desmond Doss, a pacifist and legendary war hero, earned his Medal of Honor.