For 27 years, Okinawa was the American bastion in Japan. Occupied by the U.S. military, Okinawa was run by the United States. Okinawa’s story
influenced by U.S.Americans took over the island after the battle of Okinawa in World War II.
The history is recounted by Nick Sarantakes, an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University in his Web site at http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/coas/history/sarantakes/Okinawa.html.
The island is linked to Hawaii because of the large number of Americans of Okinawan descent living there, Sarantakes says.
Also, when Japan was stressing in the 1960s that Okinawa must be returned to the Japanese, Hawaii Sens. Fong, Matsunaga and Inouye were major advocates of increased economic aid.
"Home on the Web" is a weekly Friday feature of the Star-Bulletin.
Richard Borreca can be reached by e-mail at rborreca@pixi.com