Other Voices: Military Dominance and Popular Resistance

A conversation with film director, John Junkerman
Selected clips from OKINAWA: The Afterburn will be shown

In 1945, the Japanese island of Okinawa was the site of the longest and bloodiest battle of the Pacific War. Still today, with 32 American bases, it remains a bastion of US military power in East Asia. After their island was literally burned to ashes, the Okinawan people developed a deep-seated aversion to war, but the island was fated to be the launching pad for American wars in Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East.

Acclaimed in Japan since its June 2015 release, Okinawa: The Afterburn is the first film to provide a comprehensive picture of the battle and the ensuing occupation of the island by the US military. This revised, updated English version provides timely context for the ongoing controversy over the construction of a new Marine Corps base on Okinawa.

The film depicts the history of military dominance and popular resistance from the postwar occupation through the present. Okinawa: The Afterburn is a heartfelt plea for peace and an expression of deep respect for the unyielding spirit of the Okinawa people.

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Other Voices Monthly Forum is held at the Midpen Media Center, where it is recorded for later broadcast on local cable television and streaming on the Internet. Previous forums (and other videos) can be seen at our YouTube Channel or the Video Page at our website.