Instructions: In this task, we ask you to rewrite a sentence in simple English without changing its general meaning. Essentially, you want to make the sentence easier to read by using simpler words, utilizing more straightforward sentence structures, and omitting non-essential information etc.
Input: In hindsight , given the number of casualties , the necessity and long-term significance of the island 's capture to the outcome of the war became a contentious issue and remains disputed .
Output:
Given the number of casualties , the importance of the island 's capture was controversial .