At first, Japan emphasized the differences between Okinawan and Japanese culture, to justify discriminatory policies in the colony. However, to justify the colonization to the West, the policies were changed to ones which emphasized similarities and which assimilated Okinawa into Japan. Thus, Okinawan society has been greatly influenced by Japan. The Japanese taught Okinawan children that the Okinawan language was a "dialect" of Japanese, and students were punished for speaking their native language. Okinawa was caught up in the Japanese war against U.S.A. and China. Okinawa was incorporated into the war system. At the end of World War II, Okinawa itself became the battlefield, the social infrastructure was completely destroyed, and many people died. 