Filmmaker John Junkerman, who garnered an Oscar nomination for his 1986 documentary feature Hellfire: A Journey from Hiroshima, provides a fascinating consideration of the long-simmering controversy regarding the presence of the U.S. military on Okinawa. The Americans first came to the island in April 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa, and surviving soldiers from both sides of the conflict, along with Okinawan civilians, recall what transpired during that violent campaign, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 240,000. But while the U.S. ended its occupation of the Japanese mainland in 1952, it retained control of Okinawa until 1972, and despite the return of Japanese sovereignty, the U.S. kept its military bases and personnel on Okinawa. As years went by, tensions between the Okinawan population and U.S. servicemen began to intensify, and an increasing number of reported sexual assaults against Okinawan women began to receive international news attention. Protests by the Okinawans over the construction of a new U.S. base at Henoko have only intensified the frayed relations between the Americans and the island's inhabitants. Junkerman does a wonderful job in dovetailing the turbulence of the World War II era with the metastasizing problems that have grown since the end of the war. Offering a balanced and accurate report on an extraordinary situation, Okinawa: The Afterburn provides invaluable insights on the state of U.S.-Japanese relations. Extras include extended scenes and bonus interviews. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Okinawa: The Afterburn
(2016) 121 min. In English & Japanese w/English subtitles. DVD: $24.95. First Run Features (avail. from most distributors). Volume 32, Issue 1
Okinawa: The Afterburn
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