During World War II, the United States invaded the Ryukyu Islands to use them as a staging area for the Invasion of Japan.

Fighting occurred between March and September 1945, resulting in over 250,000 casualties, including 150,000 Okinawan civilians.

The United States controlled the islands until 1972, when they were returned to Japan and Okinawa Prefecture was reestablished.

[1] The Cornerstone of Peace is a semi-circular avenue of stones engraved with the names of all the dead from the Battle of Okinawa, organized by nationality (or by ethnicity for Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans, and Okinawans).

There are a number of separate memorials including the Okinawa Peace Hall, a large tower erected in 1978, and individual monuments for each Prefecture of Japan.