 The latest weapons, coupled with the fighting skill of the American soldier, stand ready. On the alert all over the world to defend this country, view the American people against aggression. This is The Big Picture, an official television report to the nation from the United States Army. Now, to show you part of The Big Picture, here is Sergeant Stuart Queen. 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 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. Furthermore, it is the only possession we hold in Asia. What your army is accomplishing today on this island is vital to the defense of freedom in the Far East. Sixty-seven miles long, eighteen miles across at the widest point, in area about half the size of Rhode Island, native population about six hundred thousand persons, a small rocky typhoon-swept island. That is Okinawa, unimportant at first glance, perhaps. But despite its small size and unattractive features, Okinawa is a vital bastion of the free world. It is the largest island in the Ryukyu's chain which stretches from Japan to Formosa. It is four hundred miles from the coast of Communist China, another four hundred to Formosa, about a thousand miles to Tokyo or Seoul. It stands among friends and foes. By its existence alone, a deterrent to aggression. But Okinawa has not always played the world-important role it plays today. For many centuries, it's slept, an island off the beaten track of world affairs. Its people, in racial strain related to the Japanese, developed the primitive Oriental culture. Feudal lords ruled over scattered straw hut villages were life-centered around two things, rice and religion. Ancestor worship 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 developed but little over the centuries. The growing of rice was the most important occupation. The earth was worked by hand with ancient tools. The rice was sown by hand and harvested by hand. It was a rough, simple life. But when the soil was good and the harvest plentiful, the people were content. They lived in peace and primitive prosperity. 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 silt. In 1853, Matthew E. Perry landed his Asiatic expedition on Okinawa. Despite its primitive appearance, he was so impressed with its geographical location and potential as a trading post that he left a body of men on the island to make a more detailed survey. Some of those men are buried here. The resting place marked for all time by the friendly Okinawans who took a liking to the Americans from the start. The survey confirmed Perry's views. And when he 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 the many celebrations featuring the highly stylized oriental dance. However, since the Japanese looked upon the island primarily as a source of agricultural supply, they deliberately did nothing to develop its economy. And so life in Okinawa changed very little over the years until the outbreak of World War II. Vital to the Japanese defense, it was their last stronghold outside of the home islands. Equally vital to the American offensive, it must be taken before the attack on Japan could succeed. After 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 was the beginning of the most bitter island battle in modern history. The Japanese defense was 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, dangerous digging process. Dig them out, burn them out, get them out any way you could. It was an individual operation against each and every Japanese soldier on the island. It was a tough way to fight on a tough little island. Okinawa earned the name the Rock. It took six full divisions, 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. Ah, the capital was a shambles. We couldn't fix it either because the Rock was the staging area for the assault on Japan. But that assault never came. The atomic bomb saved us from that operation. When the Japanese surrendered, Okinawa was seated to us in the peace treaty. Okinawa after the war was a forlorn place. Equipment shot up during the war, and equipment piled up for the invasion of Japan lay around to rot and rust away. The Rock was forgotten. Now it was called the junk heap of the Pacific. The few troops that remained lived in temporary quarters. Their primary concern was a never-ending battle with the elephants. First it was dust. So much dust, it darkened the sky. Then there were the typhoons. Sweeping in 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. Okinawa earned a new name, the Outpost of the Outcast. Then in 1949, suddenly almost overnight, the situation changed. The Chinese mainland had fallen to the communists. In 1950, South Korea was invaded. Okinawa became vitally 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 stronger, longer runways to accommodate bigger, faster bombers. Supervised by army engineers, Okinawans pitched in with a will. Heavy equipment was brought in, and men who had never even seen steam rollers were taught to operate them. John Crete 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. Out over the Yellow Sea, a thousand miles to 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 were led out to Japanese and Philippine companies. Okinawans were taught the skills necessary. Brick layers, steel rigors, 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 family. The most modern army barracks anywhere in the world are here on Okinawa. The two and three story structures are complete units in themselves with troop quarters, administration offices, supply rooms, armory and mess hall, all under one typhoon-proof roof. New and striking is the architecture of this island. Today, a credit to Americans and Okinawans alike, it is a blend of modern methods and functional styling. The beautiful Raikom headquarters building is perhaps the crowning achievement. There is a shuffleboard court on the roof, while inside, an imaginative use of glass and steel gives light, efficient office space. 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 was not a single mile of paved road on Okinawa. Mud and dust trails were 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. It will mean a better standard of living for the Okinawa of tomorrow and goodwill towards their American friends today. This friendly working together on a common project has paid one big dividend already. There is no fifth column on Okinawa, no fear of sabotage in time of emergency. The hard-working, willing Okinawans will stand by their American friends in time of trouble. And so together we built a modern, primary, four-lane and secondary two-lane concrete and asphalt highway system. Criss-crossing the island, it serves every important military installation as well as numerous native cities and villages. All the construction on all the island so far has amounted to about as big a job as building a city the size of Indianapolis from scratch, all in about four years' time. The physical facilities of a military base are vitally important, but equally important are the men who man the base. Troops must be in top-notch shape to defend the island at a moment's notice. The rumble of tanks and the sharp crackle of anti-aircraft guns are familiar sounds to the people of Okinawa. Remembering the tremendous cost of taking the island from the Japanese, we want to make it impractical for any aggressor to attempt attack. Constant practice in the offensive and defensive phases of amphibious operations pays off in troops well-trained to tackle any invasion attempt. Furthermore, to exploit Okinawa's strategic location, major commands are being moved here from Korea and Japan. This will create 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 the new equipment tested out under battlefield conditions. These assault vehicles are the latest, offering protection to troops as they disembark. Only by this constant training are commands kept at top efficiency and Grykon, the Ryukyu's command, intends to keep it that way. But what about the troops that are arriving on Okinawa today? What will they find on this, our most important military base in the Far East? Will it be the rock of World War II, the junk heap of the Pacific that followed, or the outpost of the outcast? No. On the contrary, they will find a modern community in many respects very similar to many communities in America. They will find a place where they can make a home for their family and live as Americans are usually accustomed to. There is industry and commerce on the island now. New power plants supply electricity to homes and communities. 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. For this is a modern community despite its ancient traditions and Oriental character. 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, bustling activity, and eager vendors. Elsewhere, 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 men shopper. On Okinawa, there are numerous enlisted men's and officers' clubs. Supported entirely by members' dues, they provide many facilities for family recreation. The swimming pool is always popular. But there are also excellent golf courses. Volleyball courts? Here too can be found the extended pleasures of a summer vacation. There are plenty of beaches and on this semi-tropical island, the swimming is good from March to November. Everybody takes advantage of the situation. But how has all this activity affected the Okinawans? Under American guidance, the island has turned into a prosperous modern community. However, rice is still the staple food, but new commercial possibilities have been found for the rice straw. Over the centuries, it served as material for making many articles useful to the native population. Today, these 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 men. 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 their predecessors. Here, past glories are perhaps remembered. Venerable personages honored, gifts given, 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. It is our belief that Okinawa should someday be free to govern itself, and that an enlightened public is the first prerequisite. Consequently, more and better schools 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 opportunities never before dreamed of. From these children will come the leaders of tomorrow, for democratic government is already a reality in Okinawa. On April 1st, 1952, the first legislature was elected. 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. Fishing has always played an important part in the insular life of Okinawa, and every year, the fishermen hold a rowing race where the skills of individual crews are pitted against each other. A couple of army photographers cover the event for their unit paper. Such races always receive great popularity and rivalry is strong between the competing villages. Crowds line the waterfront to cheer their favorites. At the invitation of the Okinawans, the judges' scowl this year plays host to some American military personnel. But whoever wins, the outcome is always a wet one for the victor's routers as they dash into the water to congratulate the winning boat, Banner's Wave. 1953 marked a century since Commodore Perry first brought the island to the attention of America. So it was decided to make an occasion of the event, giving both Okinawans and Americans a chance to celebrate. School was let out for the day, and thousands of kids paraded through the streets of Naha, waving the flags of both Okinawa and the United States. Craftsmen of both nationalities tested their skill in making colorful floats to dramatize the event. Commodore Perry's voyage was, of course, a popular subject. There go the Queens of the day. And here comes an oriental version of the Commodore and his valiant crew. And so, a hundred years after Perry's visit, Okinawa is a part of the United States. Its strategic location, duly noted by the Commodore, today makes Okinawa our most important military asset in the Far East. Following the carnival of floats, there was a traditional sport. Youngsters competed in balancing the gay ceremonial banners high in the air. It takes a lot of skill and timing, and if you don't think so, just try it out in your own backyard sometime. Then it became our turn to celebrate. And in a similar way, the army put on its traditional show, the Military Parade. Its precision was a contrast to the carefree Okinawan spectacle and also a reminder of far eastern tensions. For in this area of the world where totalitarian aggression is a constant threat, islands of freedom, like Okinawa, must be kept inviolate. Under our proprietorship, Okinawa has progressed markedly and gained much. But no matter how much we do for the island and its friendly people, we will have gotten much more in return. Or 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. And so Okinawa is an outpost. Its strategic location gives your army an advanced base on the threshold of Asia. Recent events have proven Commodore Perry correct. Okinawa is the Keystone of the Pacific. This is Sergeant Stuart Queen inviting you to be with us next week for another look at your army in action on The Big Picture. The Big Picture is a weekly television report to the nation on the activities of the army at home and overseas, produced by the Signal Corps Pictorial Center, presented by the U.S. Army in cooperation with this station. You can be an important part of The Big Picture. You can proudly serve with the best equipped, the best trained, the best fighting team in the world today, the United States Army.