Okinawa

O·ki·na·wa  (k-näw, -nou-)

An island group of the central Ryukyu Islands in the western Pacific Ocean southwest of Japan. In World War II Okinawa, the largest island in the group, was the scene of fierce combat between the Japanese and U.S. Army and Marine forces (April 1-June 21, 1945). The islands were returned to the Japanese in 1972.

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Okinawa [ˌəʊkɪˈnɑːwə]

n

(Placename) a coral island of SW Japan, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands in the N Pacific: scene of heavy fighting in World War II; administered by the US (1945-72); agricultural. Chief town: Naha City. Pop.: 1 273 508 (1995). Area: 1176 sq. km (454 sq. miles)

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	Okinawa - the largest island of the central Ryukyu Islands Okinawa campaign, Okinawa - a campaign in the closing days of World War II in the Pacific (April to June 1945); in savage close-quarter fighting United States marines and regular army troops took the island from the Japanese; considered the greatest victory of the Pacific campaign for the Americans Naha City - the chief city in the Ryukyu Islands Ryukyu Islands - a chain of 55 islands in the western Pacific to the to the southwest of Japan (returned by United States to Japan in 1972)
	2.	Okinawa - a campaign in the closing days of World War II in the Pacific (April to June 1945); in savage close-quarter fighting United States marines and regular army troops took the island from the Japanese; considered the greatest victory of the Pacific campaign for the Americans Okinawa campaign Second World War, World War 2, World War II - a war between the Allies (Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Iraq, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States, USSR, Yugoslavia) and the Axis (Albania, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Rumania, Slovakia, Thailand) from 1939 to 1945 Okinawa - the largest island of the central Ryukyu Islands