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Information in this section covers the period since the end of WWII in 1945 and continues through to the present day. This period may be further subdivided into at least four sections: 1) early US occupation period - through to the conclusion of the first phase of the military land problem (approx 1945-1958), 2) late-US occupation period - through to the administrative reversion of Okinawa to Japan (approx 1959-1971), 3) the early post-reversion period - through to the end of Ota Mashide's first term as governor (1972-1994) and, obviously, 4) the late-post-reversion period - which begins with the rape incident of 1995. We are now in a new historical phase, marked by America's foreign policy and defense restructuring responses to the terrorist attacks of 2001.

What this shift means for Okinawa and its bases longterm we cannot say for certain, but it seems possible that at some point US Marine Corps, Navy and Army elements could be relocated elsewhere, leaving Kadena Air Base as Okinawa's sole responsiblity for Japan-US security. In terms of ground combat forces, Okinawa does not offer adequate training opportunities and would appear to be continuing as is in its hosting role in this regard because it is a cheaper option for the US DoD than relocating to Hawaii or Guam because of Japan's generous host nation support.

If you know of any good information resources or downloadable files that should be included here please let me know (e-mail address at foot of page)


The Aftermath of WWII and Emerging Cold War


Postwar Okinawa - Part One [Forthcoming - John Michael Purves - Okinawa History & Culture Course - lecture readings]

The Origins of the US Military Base System in Okinawa [Written by John Michael Purves]

Cairo Communique, 1st December 1943 [Link to the internal Archive section]

The Yalta Agreement - 11th February 1945 [Link to the internal Archive section]

Nimitz Proclamation (No. 1), April 1945 [Link to the internal Archive section]

Potsdam Declaration (United States, China, and the United Kingdom), 26th July 1945 [Link to the internal Archive section]



The Japan-US Alliance System and Okinawa's Role as a Strategic Military Base Location


Establishing the US-Japan Alliance System in Okinawa: the Peace and Security Treaties [Written by John Michael Purves]

Enclosure to Dispatch No. 1293, 22nd September 1947 [Link to the internal Archive section]

Emperor of Japan's Opinion Concerning the Future of the Ryukyu Islands, 22nd September 1947 [Link to the internal Archive section]

Multilateral Treaty of Peace With Japan, 8th September 1951 (Selected Text) [Link to the internal Archive section]

John Foster Dulles on "Residual Sovereignty", 8th September 1951 [Link to the internal Archive section]

Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, 8th September 1951 [Link to the internal Archive section]

The Postwar Okinawan Economy - Part One [Forthcoming - John Michael Purves - Okinawa History & Culture Course - lecture readings]

Economic Policy: Separating Okinawa from Japan and Endaka [Written by John Michael Purves]

The Military Land Problem - Part One [Forthcoming - John Michael Purves - Okinawa History & Culture Course - lecture readings]

Military Land Problem-related photos [John Michael Purves - Okinawa History & Culture Course - lecture materials]

Land Issues: The Legality of Land Acquisitions [Written by John Michael Purves]

The Power of Eminent Domain and the Shima Gurumi Toso [Written by John Michael Purves]

The Price Recommendations and the Unravelling of an Alliance [Written by John Michael Purves]

The Melvin Price Report, 8th June 1956 [Link to the internal Archive section]



The Road to Reversion and the Impact of the Vietnam War in Okinawa

Japanese Government Aid, Defence Procurements, and Economic Change [Written by John Michael Purves]

Kishi-Eisenhower Joint Communique, 21st June 1957 [Link to the internal Archive section]

Sato-Johnson Communique, 13th January 1965 [Link to the internal Archive section]

The Ittaika Boom and Hypothetical Pre-Reversion Planning [Written by John Michael Purves]

Long-Term Development Planning – Early GOJ/Okinawa Initiatives [Written by John Michael Purves]

Sato-Nixon Communique, 21st November 1969 [Link to the internal Archive section]

(Secret) Agreed Minute to the Sato-Nixon Communique, 21st November 1969 [Link to the internal Archive section]

Reversion Decided: Official and Independent Initiatives [Written by John Michael Purves]

The Okinawa Reversion Agreement, 17th June 1971 [Link to the internal Archive section]



The Post-Reversion Period


The Shock of the New: Expectations versus Realities [Written by John Michael Purves]

Kakusa Zesei and the Promotion and Development of Okinawa [Written by John Michael Purves]

The Military Land Problem - Part Two [Forthcoming - John Michael Purves - Okinawa History & Culture Course - lecture readings]

The Bountiful Eighties: Economic Strength and Political Calm [Written by John Michael Purves]

The Reformist Nineties: Bringing Bases Back onto the Agenda [Written by John Michael Purves]

Heiwa, Kyosei, Jiritsu: Ota Masahide’s Base-free Cosmopolis Ideal [Written by John Michael Purves]

Images from the 1998 Gubernatorial Elections [John Michael Purves - Okinawa History & Culture Course - lecture materials]

Gender and communal land rights litigation [Forthcoming - John Michael Purves - Okinawa History & Culture Course - lecture readings]



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