Okinawa: Keystone of the Pacific - The Big Picture

National Archives and Records Administration
ARC Identifier 2569538 / Local Identifier 111-TV-268
Big Picture: Okinawa: Keystone of the Pacific
DVD copied by Master Scanner Thomas Gideon. Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. U.S. Army Audiovisual Center. (ca. 1974 - 05/15/1984). A little over a hundred years ago Commodore Matthew E. Perry landed on Okinawa. He was so impressed with the strategic location of the island that upon his return to the United States he urged Congress to negotiate with the islanders in the hope that Okinawa might become a United States possession. At the time Congress was uninterested. Now a century later, Okinawa is a possession of the United States, ceded to us in the Japanese Peace Treaty. Through the eyes of THE BIG PICTURE camera, the story of our Army and what it is accomplishing on this island is brought into focus. Depicting an outpost in the Pacific whose strategic location gives the Army an advance base on the threshold of Asia, viewers will learn how recent events have proven Commodore Perry correct--Okinawa is the keystone of the Pacific.

[@sandovalperry2895]

The pictures of the quarter’s brought back memories. My sister and I remember sleeping under mosquito nets in the late 1950’s. My dad worked in the “new” Army hospital that replaced the scattering of tin buildings.

[@masudaharris6435]

We lived in Machinato from 1965 to 1972 and we loved it there. When it rained, bullets, bombs, and even grenades used to be washed out of the soil, but it was the only indication that a war took place only 20 years ago. Our biggest thrill was to go shopping in Naha on the weekends.

[@1banryukyu]

Okinawa 1st became a Japanese prefecture in 1879, so Perry landed in the Ryukyu Kingdom in 1853. After WWII the US military controled the island chain until 1972. Okinawa was a segregated island until the late 1950s early 1960s. There were class A stores and shops, which could use US dollars but only could be used by US military and DOD. The US military also controled the B Yen which was the currency for the Okinawans. The Okinawans also had to have a passport to travel to Japan and or the US.

[@wplg]

Stationed on Okinawa 1970-72 when Okinawa returned to Japan.
I remember the riots against the U.S. during the last days of American occupation.

[@motorcop505]

Corregidor in this Philippines was "the Rock," because it was one huge coral rock. The 11th Abn took it after a parachute assault.

[@1banryukyu]

Sir
本当ですよ！（Yes, really)
Please feel free to research this information for yourself. Thank you for your time.

[@TermiteUSA]

Anyone know the year this was made? Early or late 1950's obviously.

[@sager1te540]

Mb after the Korean War, 1954-1957

[@sandovalperry2895]

My family lived in the quarters in the film from 1957 to 1960.

[@drCasey555]

really?

[@amineamine-bl1zp]

😁👏👏👏👏

[@user-pc7rp3ol2d]

0:13 この番組は グロい シーンがあります 大人の方は1:15 を押してください