Tropical Okinawa Japan
Watch some footage taken by my Japanese friend on a recent trip to Okinawa, set to the song “Surf Goddess” by This Spy Surfs, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network (music.podshow.com). Okinawa, part of the Ryukyu island chain south of the Japanese archipelago, has 49 inhabited and many uninhabited islands, surrounded by beautiful coral reefs. In the north, the Yanbaru forest fans out, home to a rich biodiversity including many protected and endangered species. Tourists can enjoy diving and snorkeling at the beautiful beaches or watch the amazing whale sharks and manta rays at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Honbucho on Okinawa Honto (the main island). Different cultures and customs are deeply rooted in the Okinawa area as it was once a separate country called the Ryukyu Kingdom until it became part of Japan in the Meiji Era, and these unique customs and traditions can be experienced at places such as Ryukyu Mura.
Conferences at Guam ended, Pacific Fleet Commander, Admiral Nimitz sends an armada of 1,400 vessels to Okinawa in the Ryukus. En route, the men of the new U.S. 10th Army stage their own deck entertainment, and secure their issue of invasion money. Land sighted, the big guns of the fleet bark into action, and tons of rockets are sped shoreward. Landing craft race in, and unopposed landings are made. Inland, Jap dugouts and pill boxes are destroyed with grenades. Past broken forts, natives climb down from the hills, the Stars and Stripes are run up, and the Yanks prepare for their campaign on Okinawa, 360 miles from Japan itself.” scenes of Adms. Nimitz, Mitscher, Ernie Pyle watches accordion and dance, 1400 ships prepare attack, naval guns open up, rocket barrages, civilians gave up. Mandalay Recaptured, - “British and Indian combat troops capture Mandalay ending three years of Jap occupation. Burmese campaign continues to gain momentum as the mechanized might of the British splits the Jap hold of Burma into two segments.” scenes of the campaign cutting the Burma peninsula in two, isolating Japanese forces in the south, city of pagodas under siege for 12 days (3) Allied Net Tightens on Germany - “”Advancing with the U.S. 3rd Army - From hill positions, the Yanks are confronted with blistering fire from the Nazis in the valley below. When Yankee tanks, tank destroyers, and machine guns silence the enemy, the U.S. 3rd continues its victory advance, rolling by miles of burning and wrecked Nazi equipment. And a flood of Nazi prisoners streams to a collecting yard. Battle Rockets - U.S. uses mobile rocket projectors to hurl banks of rockets into German towns. They are fired by remote control so that the crews may escape the terrific discharge fires.” scenes of 3rd Army overrunning the Reich, prisoners taken, first time rocket attacks filmed by Signal Corps cameras (4) Final Plans for Security Conference - “Washington, DC: Sec. Stettinius meets with the Ambassadors from Britain, Russia and China in first meeting of the four powers prior to the San Francisco parley. Asst. Sec. of State Archibald MacLeish explains the urgency of the Dumbarton Oaks principles being accepted by the United Nations and citizens of the U.S.A.” scenes of Stettinius confers in San Francisco, Archibald MacLeish speaks (5) Golfers Entertain Wounded - “Atlanta, GA, Golf stars put on exhibition for wounded veterans at naval Air Station. After a Byron Nelson lesson, one vet flubs his shots almost as badly as Joe Kirkwood, the fancy shot maker.” scenes of trick shot specialist Joe Kirkwood.