The Battle of Iwo Jima took place in 1945 during the final months of World War II. To this day, it is considered one of the most iconic clashes of the so-called Pacific campaign, or Pacific War — when American forces and their allies fought against Imperial Japan across the vast Pacific Ocean.
A hallowed event in American military history, Iwo Jima has come to epitomize the fighting spirit of the U.S. armed forces, particularly the Marine Corps.
The Battle of Iwo Jima lasted five weeks, from Feb. 19 until March 26, 1945, when U.S. forces secured the island. The battle saw some of the fiercest combat in the Pacific theater, with nearly 7,000 U.S. Marines killed and another 20,000 injured, according to The National WWII Museum. The battle took place in the shadow of a huge mountain and on beaches of black volcanic ash.
Where is Iwo Jima?
Iwo Jima is a tiny volcanic island approximately 650 nautical miles (1,200 km) south of Tokyo. A Japanese territory, the island is just eight square miles (21 square km) in size and part of the Volcano Islands archipelago.
During WWII, the commander of the 22,000-strong Japanese garrison, Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi, transformed the island into a fortress. In the winter of 1944 to 1945, he installed pillboxes, bunkers, tunnels, trenches and fortified caves. These defenses added to the hundreds of artillery pieces already installed on Iwo Jima.
Iwo Jima was targeted by the Americans as part of the Allies’ “Island Hopping” strategy, in which they would invade an island, establish a military base there and then launch an attack on another island. As such, Iwo Jima was considered a stepping-stone for the invasion of mainland Japan.
How the battle went down
The U.S. committed 110,308 military personnel to the battle, from naval and air crews to the Marines. The American forces also included 17 aircraft carriers and 1,170 aircraft, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
The Americans were aware of the Japanese fortifications on the island, but President Franklin D. Roosevelt refused to authorize the use of poison gas shells, which could possibly have made the island easier to secure. A conventional, but heavy bombardment began in the weeks before the battle, but it had little effect.
ht/ ex Jarhead
I wonder if America, particular the younger part of it, has the will and the kind of men needed to fight like that again today if it were ever in an all out war again?
Manila John!
“I ain’t no officer, and I ain’t no museum piece. I belong back with my outfit.”
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2018/12/19/manila-john-basilone-marine-hero-of-guadalcanal-and-iwo-jima/
“No surrender. No retreat. No prisoners.”
(Anonymous Officer)
If you gotta fight; fight to win.
Fuck “measured” response.
izlamo delenda est …
Having served as the HMFIC of our Marine Corps Birthday Celebration in our little Oregon town for a number of years I was privileged to have known several survivors of the Iwo Jima campaign. One (a member of 2/28 and had fought his way up the mountain) was a close friend of Ira Hayes and gave an outstanding tribute to Marine who would now have been classified as having a severe case of PTSD, not just a drunk Indian.
California will be issuing an apology shortly.
MY UNCLE WAS A MEDIC ON IWO, SAIPAN, AND TINIAN. OF COURSE, THEY HAD TO BE ON THE BEACH FIRST…CAME HOME ALIVE BUT GREATLY CHANGED FOR LIFE…THEY DIDN’T REALLY APPRECIATE PTSD BACK THEN, MINIMAL PROCESSING BEFORE RETURN HOME.
RIP, UNCLE SAM.
I had the opportunity to know an Iwo Jima veteran. Great guy.
Kind of amazing that two of the flag raisers in the iconic photograph of the Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi were misidentified for nearly seventy years.
Iwo Jima: 36 days of hell on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_0LU-XYfLY
Dad and Uncle were there. Uncle refused to let the NYt in his house. NYT said we were there because Japs weren’t white. Not fighting for America! I did not believe it til ’60 when I got some ’44 + ’45 NYT on micro film. Yes, NYTdid cal my kin RACIST!
It seems to me the NYT has always said America lovers are racist. I plead guilty.
The 4 uncles and Dad who fought Jps are long gone; but clearly in the eyes of “our betters” they died racists.
My Uncle Bob, my mom’s older brother was there with the 5th Marine Division and saw the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi from about 100 yards away. After the war he was a mechanic with his own garage in Boise, Id., married had 2 kids and didn’t say a whole heck of a lot about it except that he was there.
A Navy Cross recipient, an assistant cook and Bronx native, everyone has their own role, he was twenty one years old.
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/7921
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fufidio-triangle
AARDVARK
I was a proud “Truefel Hund” when gutting ChiCom for JFK. for 200 years The Black Watch was the most feared regiment in the world. At Belleau Wood we were out numbered by the Hun 9:1 but they were the folks that retreated. High Command quizzed their Gas – How did this happen? We had 12 Gen Jarheads had a Bird! Unsatisfied with them the high command brought in the Sty. Mgrs. they said”Jarheads are Truefell Hundend! Dogs from Hell!” After that Black Watch was #2. 5th Marines were the meanest, deadliest regiment in the world.
Actually I am a nice old man; no matter what my grand kids say!~