n n- The most complete history of the Ryukyu Islands and Okinawa available in English. n- Over 1/2 Million US Servicemen and Families have lived in Okinawa n- Okinawa is the most important American military staging area in Asia and is an essential component in all U.S. security plans. n- An introduction and appendix by noted Okinawa history scholar Mitsugu Sakihara, former president of Hawaii International College and professor at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.