IntroductionAfter the great series of island hopping excursions in the Pacific, the decision to invade Okinawa was made to support the overall strategic plan to tighten the noose and strangle Japan with the ultimate goal of Japan's unconditional surrender. The Ryukyu Islands were an integral part of Japanese defenses and the seizure and commissioning of airfields on the islands would provide the opportunity to strike Japan's homeland with strategic bombing campaigns. Even though the United States had material advantages over the Japanese throughout the Pacific theater, there was no guarantee that the United States would succeed without detailed planning and analysis of Japanese forces in the Ryukyus. This article will analyze the important operational elements related to the planning and preparation of the landing on Okinawa (Operation Iceberg). DiscussionFirst, it is important to examine the time, space, and force considerations of the Allied forces in the Pacific. The United States wanted Japan's unconditional surrender and, given the time, preferred to end the war quickly. It was very important that American forces continue to exert continued pressure on the Japanese and maintain a constant blockade that gradually strengthened as the war continued. The United States planned to take Luzon and Iwo Jima while moving toward the Ryukyu island chain, but it must be able to give forces enough time to regain composure and prepare troops for another battle. The operation's timeline was set for March or early April, which would give troops ample time to plan and prepare, as well as to mitigate possible weather concerns for the May typhoon season. While looking at spatial considerations, the two separate forces... ... middle of paper ...... distance, time, and limited equipment to deliver supplies across the AO. One of the most impressive elements of the logistics planning is that the lead time extended to 210 days after the initial landing. Conclusion It is clear that the effort and time put into the planning process to invade Okinawa was considerable. effort given the constraints of time, space and force mentioned at the beginning of this article. From the information gleaned from the readings and results of the Battle of Okinawa, it can be seen that maximizing operational art as it relates to all planning was necessary to achieve a successful outcome. Works Cited Appleman, Roy E. 1948. Okinawa: The last battle. The American Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific. Washington, DC: Historical Division, Department of the Army