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Okinawa girls remembered in museum photos

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Some of the 240 girls and teachers from two women’s high schools in Okinawa who were conscripted by the Japanese army to serve as nurses in underground wards during the Battle of Okinawa near the end of World War II. Some of the girls also delivered messages to soldiers on the front lines. It was dangerous work and some were killed. Most thought that the Japanese army would defeat the American troops in a matter of days, and thus brought school supplies to study, thinking they’d soon be back in their classrooms. As the fighting deteriorated, they were told that if they were captured they would be raped and killed, so surrender was not to be considered.

On June 18, 1945, the nursing unit was disbanded. Until then, only 19 of the students had been killed, but on the next day many were killed during an attack by US forces. In the week that followed, about 80 percent of the girls and their teachers perished. Many committed suicide, either by throwing themselves off cliffs or with hand grenades given to them by the Japanese soldiers. Only one teacher and seven students survived.

These photos are part of an exhibit in the Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa.

Okinawans have suffered inordinately during military campaigns in the region, and many today struggle to rid their island of all military presence, including several US bases.

Filename
japan-2019-jeffrey-okinawa-B113.jpg
Copyright
Paul Jeffrey
Image Size
4826x1786 / 1.2MB
Contained in galleries
Okinawa Protests
Some of the 240 girls and teachers from two women’s high schools in Okinawa who were conscripted by the Japanese army to serve as nurses in underground wards during the Battle of Okinawa near the end of World War II. Some of the girls also delivered messages to soldiers on the front lines. It was dangerous work and some were killed. Most thought that the Japanese army would defeat the American troops in a matter of days, and thus brought school supplies to study, thinking they’d soon be back in their classrooms. As the fighting deteriorated, they were told that if they were captured they would be raped and killed, so surrender was not to be considered.<br /> <br /> On June 18, 1945, the nursing unit was disbanded. Until then, only 19 of the students had been killed, but on the next day many were killed during an attack by US forces. In the week that followed, about 80 percent of the girls and their teachers perished. Many committed suicide, either by throwing themselves off cliffs or with hand grenades given to them by the Japanese soldiers. Only one teacher and seven students survived.<br /> <br /> These photos are part of an exhibit in the Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa.<br /> <br /> Okinawans have suffered inordinately during military campaigns in the region, and many today struggle to rid their island of all military presence, including several US bases.