"A skillful narrative of combat history . exceedingly vivid." -- The New York Times Book Review "Deeply moving . Unless we know of Okinawa and its beleaguered people, we know precious little of World War II." --Studs Terkel "A classic . a meticulously researched account." --Robert Massie More people perished during the battle of Okinawa than in the ensuing bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. The Battle of Okinawa offers a stunning account of the last major campaign of World War II and the largest land-sea-air engagement in history.

Superbly researched and extraordinarily detailed, The Battle of Okinawa is told at the level of the participants themselves, soldiers and civilians alike. In examining the disastrous collision of three disparate cultures -- American, Japanese, and Okinawan -- this book provides an unforgettable picture of men at war and also the context for understanding one of the most ominous events of this century: the decision to drop the atomic bomb. For the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, this new edition of The Battle of Okinawa has a new Epilogue by the author.