The Battle of Okinawa, Operation Iceberg, was on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa, from March through June 1945. The 82-day battle was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific theater, the last pitched battle of the war, and a battle with one of the highest number of casualties of any WWII engagement. The main objective of the operation was to seize a large island only 340 miles away from mainland Japan, to serve as a springboard for the planned invasion of the islands. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused Japan to surrender just weeks after the end of the fighting at Okinawa and the invasion never took place.

Originally broadcast as an episode of Battlefield on the Discovery Channel in 2003. Special features: Test your knowledge [interactive text feature]; Excerpts from other titles in the series [previews].

Destination Okinawa -- American commanders -- Operation Iceberg -- Japanese tactics -- American & Allied weapons -- American tactics -- Seizing the outer perimeter -- Approach to the Shuri line -- Shipping war continues -- Breaking the inner defense.