“Mankind must put an end to war – or war will put an end to mankind.”

– John F. Kennedy

I’ve never realized that Okinawa was gravely affected by World War II until my visit last holiday. I visited some memorial sites. These sites remind the Okinawans of the difficult times during the war.

During World War II, the Americans invaded Okinawa via Operation Iceberg. They aimed to use it as a base for air operations. This was part of their planned invasion of mainland Japan. The Battle of Okinawa lasted for 82 days and was considered one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific. The Japanese defenders launched intense kamikaze attacks. This ferocity led to the battle being dubbed “tetsu no ame” (rain of steel). The sheer numbers of Allied ships and armored vehicles also contributed to the assault on the island. The Allied forces suffered around 14,009 deaths. They counted 110,071 dead Japanese bodies, including 77,166 Japanese soldiers. The war’s severity was profound. The inclusion of civilians increased the intensity of the fighting against the Allied forces. This led to the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima to avoid the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland.

The historic lessons of the Battle of Okinawa were clearly shown at the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Museum. The museum conveyed a message of rejecting any acts related to war. It did so by showing individual experiences of the Okinawan people during the war.

The museum also showcases post-war life in Okinawa. Refugee camps were built in 1945, and Okinawa became a large U.S. military base complex with the 27-year U.S. military Occupation. Until now, miltary bases in Kadena (the largest airbase in Asia) and Futenma (marines) still exist.

Located just adjacent to the Peace Museum is the Cornerstone of Peace. This was erected in Mabuni to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa in 1995. Mabuni is where the last fighting was held in the southeastern Okinawa during the war. The Flame of Peace monument is located at the center of the Peace Plaza. This flame is composed of flames from three other places: from Akajima Island in Zamami Village, the first landing site of U.S. forces in Okinawa; and from the Flame of Peace in Hiroshima and  Nagasaki. Forming a concentric arc around the Flame of Peace are 117 monument walls with 250,000 names written on it. These are the names of all those who lost their lives in the Battle of Okinawa, military or civilian irregardless of their nationalities.

Another landmark in the same area is the Okinawa Peace Hall. This was opened in 1978 driven by the intense dismay of the Okinawan people against war. The Hall has a regular polygonal roof with a septilateral pyramid. This design symbolizes the seven seas. It also resembles the shape of hands joined in prayer. The Hall is also a sacred place of memorial service for the war dead. Enshrined inside the Hall is the Okinawa Peace Prayer Statue made by the Okinawan artist Shinzan Yamada.

Aside from Yamada, another artist, Keiyu Nishimura exhibited 20 paintings inside the Hall entitled ‘War and Peace’.

Outside the premises of the Hall lies the Bell of Peace, donated by the Lions Club International District 337. The Bell is rung during memorial occasions to pray for world peace. A bronze statue of a boy can also be seen at the precinct. Churyo Sato built this. It commemorates the young boys and girls who were killed during the Battle of Okinawa.

What struck me the most during my trip to these places is that the Japanese government drafted civilians. They were asked to help in the Battle of Okinawa against the Allied forces. One story is what I have learned at the Himeyuri Peace Museum and War Memorial. This memorial was built to honor the 222 schoolgirls and 18 teachers. These individuals were forced to act as nurse assistants during the battle. Their stories were frightening and sad.

The Himeyuri students were performing medical and surgical duties during the battle. They were already living in dark caves at the end of the war, together with countless gravely injured and dead bodies. After an order of dissolution was given to them, most of them were killed by the American attacks. Some survivors committed suicide by jumping off cliffs or by blowing themselves up with hand grenades.

The Himeyuri Monument was constructed in 1946 in memory of those who lost their lives. The Himeyuri Peace Museum was modeled after the main school building where the girls had once studied. The museum shows the portraits of all the young victims. It includes testimonials of the survivors. It also displays things owned by the victims and a life-sized diorama of the Himeyuri Cave.

My country, the Philippines, experienced the violence of WWII. This was caused by the invasion of the Japanese. We understand the effects of the war in Okinawa. This shows that the atrocities of war can be seen on both sides. No one ever fully wins in a war.