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Okinawa During the Korean and Vietnam Wars Okinawa proved to be especially important to the United States during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as the main forward launching point for U.S. military forces. In 1965, the U.S. Air Force began using B-52 bombers based in Okinawa to conduct massive bombing raids on North Vietnam. Following this move, Okinawans launched massive protests that caused a cancellation of these missions from Okinawa. Also, in 1969, the Wall Street Journal printed a story revealing that chemical and biological weapons were being stored in Okinawa. Additionally, recently declassified U.S. government documents have shown that large numbers of nuclear weapons were stored in Okinawa during this time. During both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Okinawa continued to have a role as a major rest and relaxation point for U.S. soldiers going to or coming from the fighting front. This activity caused the growth of an entertainment and sex trade in Okinawa catering to U.S. military personnel. It was not uncommon during this time for as many as one in thirty Okinawan women to be employed in the sex trade in U.S. military-approved bars.
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