 Army presents The Big Picture, an official report produced for the armed forces and the American people. A rocky typhoon swept island. This is Okinawa, principal link in the Ryukyu's chain, which stretches more than 340 miles over the vast western Pacific from Japan to Formosa. Unimportant? Perhaps at first glance. But Okinawa's role in today's tense world is far out of proportion to her size. In area equal to half that of Rhode Island, Okinawa is a vital outpost in the Free World Defense Network less than 400 miles from the coast of Communist China. But Okinawa has not always played the important world role it plays today. For many centuries it's slept, an island off the beaten track of world affairs. Feudal lords ruled over scattered straw hut villages where life centered around two things, rice and religion. Ancestorship was the dominant faith. Here peaceful peasants lived and worked and children played with little brother or sister a perennial passenger. It was a contented culture that looked backward rather than forward for its inspiration. As such it changed little over the centuries. Agriculture was the most important occupation. The ungenerous earth was worked by hand with ancient tools. Crops were sewn by hand and harvested by hand. It was a rough, simple life. But when the crops were good and the harvest plentiful, the people were content. They lived in peace and primitive prosperity. The harvest occupied everyone. It was the women's work to separate the grain from the chaff. It took strenuous shaking to sift the rice kernels through a straw sieve, a method as old as farming itself. The United States first became acquainted with Okinawa when Matthew Perry landed his Asiatic expedition here in 1853. Some of his men are buried here. When Perry returned to the United States, he recommended to Congress that they annex the island. But Congress was uninterested. It was not until 1871 that anyone expressed further interest in the primitive little island. At that time, Japan incorporated it into her empire. The Japanese gave Okinawa their language and introduced the natives to the more advanced Japanese culture. The dance in particular became important. And the Okinawans, always an easygoing friendly people, took pleasure in many celebrations featuring the highly stylized Oriental dance. However, the Japanese looked upon the island primarily as a source of agricultural supply. And so life in Okinawa changed very little over the years until the outbreak of World War II. Japanese defense. Okinawa had to be taken before our main attack on Japan could succeed. The most tremendous naval and air pounding of the Pacific War, American troops landed on Okinawa. It was Easter Sunday, 1945. It was also April Fool's Day. It marked the beginning of the most bitter island battle in modern history. The Japanese defense turned out to be desperate. This was their last outpost. Their last chance to blunt the American blow on Japan itself. They fought with fanatical fury. And the island gave its rugged support. Deep caves, jagged ridges and steep cliffs all aided the enemy. It was a slow, difficult, dangerous process. An individual operation against each and every Japanese soldier. It was a tough way to fight on a tough little island. Okinawa earned the name the Rock. Six whole divisions took five full months to rest Okinawa from Japanese control. The few prisoners taken attested to the fury of the battle. When it was finally all over, there wasn't much left standing on Okinawa. Aha, the capital was a shambles. We had no time to fix it either because the Rock was the staging area for the assault on Japan. But that assault never came. Suddenly and dramatically the war ended. And when the Japanese surrendered, Okinawa was placed under United States jurisdiction. Okinawa after the war was a forlorn place. Equipment shot up during the fighting. And equipment piled up for the invasion of Japan, lay around to rot and rust away. The Rock was forgotten. The few troops that remained lived in temporary quarters. Their primary concern was a never ending battle with the elements. First it was dust. So much dust it darkened the sky. Then there were the typhoons sweeping off the ocean. They lashed the little island with their fury, leaving behind a path of wrecked buildings and equipment. And afterwards mud, bogging down everything to a crawl. Then in 1949, the Chinese mainland fell to the communists and suddenly almost overnight the situation changed. In 1950, South Korea was invaded. Okinawa once again became strategically important. Equipment was rushed in. New facilities had to be built. New runways, new roads and new buildings. We had to make Okinawa strong. Air bases came first. We needed longer runways to accommodate bigger, faster bombers. Guided by army engineers, Okinawans pitched in with a will. Heavy equipment was brought in and men who had never even seen steamrollers were taught to operate them. Concrete and steel and human sweat gave us a first class air base in operation in time to support the Korean War. Day after day, plane after plane, the B-29s roared up from their Okinawan bases. Over the yellow sea a thousand miles on missions over North Korea to blast strongholds held by the communist enemy. The bombers fought their war from that important little island, Okinawa. But the air bases were only the beginning. If Okinawa was going to be our primary military establishment in the Far East, a great many other things had to be accomplished too. Barracks, headquarters, warehouses, depots and other facilities were entirely inadequate. New typhoon-proof permanent buildings had to be constructed. To keep costs at a minimum, contracts will add out to Japanese and Philippine companies. Okinawans were taught new trades. Many became skilled bricklayers, steel riggers, painters and carpenters. And Okinawa blossomed out in a boom of construction activity. Along with the purely military construction went the development of dependence housing. Attractive suburban areas were laid out and trim modern homes constructed. Now American kids play happily among the smart new homes of the servicemen's families. If a soldier's wife runs short of soap or breakfast cereal, there are modern American style supermarkets with complete stocks of the same merchandise she might expect to find back home. There's even somebody to help with a grocery cart. The Interfaith Chapel, recently erected at Tsukiran, is a handsome example of the clean modern lines to be seen in Okinawa's new construction. New two and three story army barracks are complete units in themselves with two quarters, administration offices, supply rooms, armory and mess hall all under one typhoon-proof roof. The new construction on Okinawa has extended to every area of activity. University buildings, hospitals, theaters, public buildings and sports facilities all have been built to serve Americans and Okinawans alike. Striking is the architecture of this island and the beautiful Raycon headquarters building is perhaps the crowning achievement. Of credit to Okinawans and Americans, it is a blend of the best in modern design and functional styling. This is a building worthy of any great city anywhere. To tie in the numerous facilities spread out over the island, a modern communication and transportation system had to be constructed. Before the American occupation, there were few paved roads on Okinawa. Mud and dust trails were often the only means of getting around. Heavy equipment was employed to tackle the difficult terrain and as in all phases of the modernization program, local Okinawan labor was taught to operate. This policy not only saved many millions of dollars to the American taxpayer but also gave the Okinawans a degree of know-how in handling modern equipment that they never could have attained any other way. And so together we built a modern highway system. Criss-crossing the island, it serves every important military installation as well as numerous native cities and villages. All the construction on the island so far has amounted to about as big a job as building a city the size of Indianapolis from scratch, all in a few years time. But for the troops on Okinawa, it has not been simply a question of building a base. They must stay in the peak of condition. A field problem may last the night or begin before the sun is fully up. Men attached to the Army's special forces load their equipment aboard the submarine tilefish for an underwater demolition exercise at a nearby island. Soldiers in these units are trained in a variety of combat skills which particularly qualify them for specialized and often hazardous duty. They are typical of the versatile military strength on Okinawa which also includes large air and naval forces as well as the third Marine division. This practice mission calls for a pre-dawn landing on a training beach by swimmers from tilefish. The men are carefully briefed before the submarine departs. Tilefish approaches the target area at full speed as the swimmers prepare to leave on their mission. Carrying bags of explosives, wire and detonating devices, their objective is to destroy beach obstacles before a practice amphibious assault landing is carried out later in the day. Training such as this in Okinawa's rugged waters makes these men outstanding as versatile combat-ready soldiers. Split second timing and physical endurance are both demanded by such strenuous assignments. Men in these units can be utilized anywhere in the Far East if an emergency requires. Into the water and into the beach with only the fish for company. The men swim into the sea again where they are picked up by high-speed craft a few hundred yards off the beach. In combat these men would help to clear the beaches of barriers which would normally impede infantry and vehicles making an amphibious landing. Constant practice in the offensive and defensive faces of amphibious operations pays off in troops well trained to handle any invasion attempt. Remembering the tremendous cost of taking the island from the Japanese, we want to make it impractical for any aggressor to attempt attack. To exploit Okinawa's strategic location, major commands were moved here a few years ago from Japan. This has created a fluid force, poised to move anywhere at a moment's notice. The defense of the island then is a primary concern. Tactical training never stops. In these operations new techniques are constantly employed and new equipment tested out under battlefield conditions. These assault vehicles offer protection to troops as they disembark. Only through this constant training are commands kept at top efficiency and why come the Ryokyu's command intends to keep it that way? But what about the troops that are arriving on Okinawa today? What do they find on this our most important military base in the Far East? Personnel assigned to Okinawa today will find a modern community in most respects very similar to many communities in America. They will find a place where they can settle their families and live as Americans and good neighbors in this Okinawan community. There is industry and commerce on the island now. Many small plants and factories manufacture products which have become important to the Okinawan economy. The ancient art of the glassblower is one of the many individual skills applied by the industrious Ryokyuans. Products from these small industries are used locally and for export to Japan. Many lovely shapes and designs both decorative and functional emerge from the production line in this tiny factory. Restaurants like the famous tea house of the August moon are a booming business. The movies have become popular with both American and Japanese products shown. Today there is a native press and outside the news building Okinawans keep up with the latest world events. Democratic ideas have found hospitable soil in Okinawa and citizens now elect their own legislature as well as most local officials. Here Mr. Jugo Tomah is installed in Okinawa's highest office. That of chief executive while high ranking Okinawans and Americans look on. There is a blending of the new and the old here of the east and the west. Some sections of the island are reminiscent of any oriental community with crowded streets and bustling commercial activity. There are ultra modern department stores and here halfway around the world from home can be found all the products necessary to satisfy the wants of the American family. These stores staffed by native Okinawans do a booming business with the service man shopper. On Okinawa there are many enlisted men's and offices clubs supported entirely by members dues. They provide many facilities for family recreation. The swimming pool is always popular. There is an excellent golf course. Volleyball courts and tennis. Here too can be found the extended pleasures of a summer vacation. Okinawa abounds in lovely beaches and on this semi-tropic island the swimming is good from March to November. Everybody takes advantage of the water. But how has all this activity affected the Okinawans? Through American guidance the island has turned into a prosperous modern community. Agriculture is still important to the economy and new commercial possibilities have grown from it. Over the centuries rice straw served as material for making many articles useful to the native population. Today the same articles have found a new popularity among Americans. A flourishing industry has developed in their manufacture and exportation. In all this the Okinawans have learned much of Western man. They have learned new skills, discovered a higher standard of living and enjoyed new forms of recreation. But Okinawa and its friendly people are strong on tradition and despite the many aspects of modern life much remains of the past. The family is still the most important unit in Okinawan society and ancestor worship is still the dominant religion. Here a modern family worships at the tomb of its predecessors. Here past glories are perhaps remembered. Venerable personages honor, gifts give them and prayers respectfully offered for the well-being of past and present generations. Inside the more elaborate shrines the same simple ceremony pays respect to those who have gone before. Since the American occupation of the island the education of young Okinawans has been a project of primary importance. Consequently more and better schools including a university have been constructed. When moving day arrives the kids pitch in with a will. They are proud of their new school. Perhaps they do not realize it yet but it will give them new opportunities. From these children will come the leaders of tomorrow for democratic government is already a reality on Okinawa. Many things in Okinawan life have changed only superficially under the American influence. Fishing one of the oldest industries on the island is carried on from a fleet of fast modern troolers which often travel far from the Ryukyu's in search of a catch. The island's location in the modern air age makes it vitally important as a stop-off for commercial airliners on long trans-Pacific flights. Heavy air traffic is one more reason why Okinawa's future is brighter today than at any time in the island's long history. More than a hundred years ago Commodore Perry's expedition recognized Okinawa's geographical importance. Today Pacific air travel is safer and more comfortable because of it. And so Okinawa is a land of contrast. Leading a modern life with hope in the future her people still find time for the traditional pleasures and celebrations. Every year the fishermen hold a rowing race where the skills of individual crews are pitted against each other. Crowds line the waterfront to cheer their favorites. But whoever wins the outcome is always a wet one for the victors routers as they dash into the water to congratulate the winning boat banners waving. Like all people everywhere the Okinawans love a parade. The hundredth anniversary of Commodore Perry's visit offers both Okinawans and Americans a chance to celebrate. School is let out for the day and thousands of kids parade through the streets of Naha waving the flags of both Okinawa and the United States. Craftsmen of both nationalities test their skill in making colorful floats to dramatize the event. Oriental version of the Commodore and his valiant crew pleases the crowd. And so a hundred years after Perry's visit Okinawa's strategic location duly noted by the Commodore today makes the island one of our most important military assets in the Far East. Following the carnival of floats there is a traditional sport. Youngsters compete in balancing the gay ceremonial banners high in the air which takes a lot of skill and timing. Then it becomes our turn to celebrate. And in a similar way the army puts on its traditional show the military parade. Its precision is a contrast to the carefree Okinawan spectacle and also a reminder of our eastern tensions for in this area of the world where totalitarian aggression is a constant threat. Islands of freedom like Okinawa must be kept in violent. Under our guidance Okinawa has progressed markedly and gained much. But no matter how much we do for the island and its friendly people we will have received much more in return. For as President Eisenhower has stated Okinawa Island is now regarded as a major defense bastion in the Far East officially known to the public as America's keystone of the Pacific. A big picture is an official report for the armed forces and the American people produced by the Army Pictorial Center presented by the Department of the Army in cooperation with this state.