Geography of Hacksaw Ridge explained with MAPS Okinawa 1945

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Why was Hacksaw Ridge fought over? What strategic importance did it have? Where exactly is it? What did it look like then and what does it look like now? We will review the history of the movie using maps to explain and understand better what happened on that faithful day.

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Script:

In 1945 America was in a fierce conflict with an enemy that was then known as the Japanese Empire which at that moment in time was quickly collapsing. And it was on this island barely more than 100km long that the fiercest fighting of this conflict took place . Battle of Okinawa also considered to be the last major battle site of the second world war.

This is also where the movie Hacksaw ridge brings us to the main part of its story.

Why was Hacksaw Ridge fought over? What strategic importance did it have? Where exactly is it? What did it look like then and what does it look like now?

All these little details in true Hollywood style are completely glossed over. Which for me as a map nerd who loves playing strategy games and looking at maps in my spare time breaks my immersion.

Battle of Okinawa in Context

In a nut-shell the battle of Okinawa lasted from April 1 1945 until June 2nd and was the largest amphibious assault in history. That means that more soldiers and military forces landed in Okinawa than did on DDay in Normandy.

Okinawa was the final stepping stone US needed to take before it could launch an assault on the homeland islands of Japan in particular the Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku islands.

As such the main objective was the capture of Okinawa's air bases as they could be used as the staging ground for bombing Japanese mainland which was now just some 350km away.

For the Japanese Anything short of victory in Okinawa would spell doom for their country with Kyushu in particular becoming vulnerable to allied bombardment.

With stakes this high one thing the movie got right was the overall bloodiness of the conflict. Overall the Japanese forces had already been depleted and with this in mind they choose concentrate in a number of sectors that offered them the best prospects for a robust, attritional defense.

Also, Families were sometimes given grenades that they were meant to use on themselves to cause collateral damage if capture was perceived to be imminent.

Japanese homeland was now in danger and all citizens were expected to participate in the defensive effort.

The Landing:

March 24th

US Infantry Division lands at the Kerama Islands located South-West of mainland Okinawa and is secured as a staging post for invasion of the main island.

In the meantime in preparation for the assault US Naval Elements begin bombarding the shoreline.

The daily bombardment was kept up until March 30th

On April 1 day that is also known as L Day

Two US Army divisions land along the southwest coast of Okinawa, with zero opposition and almost no casualties marking the official start of the battle.

Until April 4th these US divisions sweep the northern part of the island where they encounter minimal enemy opposition while taking its airfields.

April 5th

The American troops finally locate the Japanese defenders once they try moving south.
Pockets of dug-in Japanese defenders become increasingly concentrated the more inland the Allied forces go.

Around Kakazu Escarpment in Ginowan is where the first bloody battles took place.