IWO JIMAFEBRUARY – MARCH, 1945

BACKGROUND IWO JIMA:

LOCATION: 750 mi. SOUTH OF TOKYO CONSIDERED ONE OF JAPAN’S “HOME ISLANDS” (define) USED BY JAPANESE AS PART OF “INNER” DEFENSE LINE (unlike Tarawa,

Guadalcanal, etc.) OCCUPIED & FORITFIED BY JAPANESE MILITARY SINCE 1930’s

AFTER THE BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA(1944): JAPAN REALIZES IWO JIMA GARRISON MUST BE STRENGTHENED BECAUSE…A U.S. ATTACK ON HOME ISLANDS IS IMMINENT (define) SO…

MORE TROOPS SENT MORE EQUIPMENT SENT FORTIFICATIONS STRENGTHENED

RESULT? JAPANESE TROOP STRENGTH (2/45) = 22,800 (approx.) MASSIVE UNDERGROUND TUNNEL/BUNKER NETWORK JAPANESE DEFENSES: MIXTURE OF…

HEAVY ARTILLERY LIGHT WEAPONS MORTARS CONCEALED BUNKERS / “MURDER HOLES”

BACKGROUND (cont’d.) LATE ‘44/EARLY ‘45:

U.S. MILITARY INCREASES AERIAL BOMBING CAMPAIGN ON HOME ISLANDS

U.S. NEEDS TO CONTROL IWO JIMA (& other islands – ex. OKINAWA)

WHY? IWO HAS LARGE AIRFIELD COMPLEX AIRSTRIPS WOULD PROVIDE…

BASE FOR U.S. BOMBERS TARGETING JAPAN SHORTEN AERIAL DISTANCE TO JAPAN PROVIDE EMERGENCY LANDING STRIPS FOR DAMAGED U.S.

AIRCRAFT BASE FOR LONG-RANGE FIGHTER ESCORTS

JAPANESE WERE USING ISLAND FOR AERIAL ATTACKS ON U.S. FLEET

ISLAND WOULD BE USED AS A NAVAL / AIR / SUPPLY BASE FOR INVASION OF JAPAN

IWO JIMA STRATEGIC MAP

IWO JIMA, PRESENT-DAY

JAPANESE & U.S.UNIT DISPERSAL,

IWO JIMA, FEB. 19, 1945

IWO JIMA:JAPANESE TUNNEL &

BUNKER PLAN

ORDER OF BATTLE IJA / IJN FORCES: 23,000 (approx.)

IWO GARRISON HAS NO NAVAL SUPPORT VERY LITTLE / IRRELEVANT AIR FORCE

U.S. 70,000 – MOSTLY USMC & USN LANDING FORCES U.S. HAS COMPLETE AIR & NAVAL SUPERIORITY

JAPANESE STRATEGY: HOLD FIRE UNTIL SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF U.S.

FORCES HAVE LANDED INFLICT AS MANY CASUALTIES AS POSSIBLE NO RELIEF FROM MAINLAND EXPECTED NO SURRENDER

U.S. ASSAULT PLAN, IWO JIMA, FEBRUARY,

1945

LT. GENERAL TADAMICHI

KURIBAYASHI, IJACOMMANDING OFFICER,

JAPANESE FORCES, IWO JIMA, FEB. –

MARCH, 1945

IJA OFFICER AND SOLDIER

WITH STANDARD

COMBAT GEAR, WWII

U.S. ASSAULT CRAFT APPROACH IWO JIMA, FEB. 19, 1945

MARINES ADVANCE OFF “RED BEACH” UNDER FIRE, FEB. 19, 1945

MARINES UNDER FIRE, RED BEACH, FEB. 19, 1945

MARINE KIAs, IWO JIMA

USMC ADVANCE, IWO JIMA, FEB.19 –

MARCH 11, 1945

THE BATTLE BATTLE LASTS OVER 1 MONTH:

FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 26, 1945 FEW JAPANESE REMAIN AFTER MARCH 11th

Mt. SURIBACHI – TAKEN ON FEB. 23-24TH MADE FAMOUS FOR “FLAG RAISING”

FIGHTING: BATTLE DOESN’T HAVE SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS TYPICAL OF PACIFIC FIGHTING EX. – FEW, IF ANY, ORGANIZED BANZAI CHARGES BY JAPANESE JAPANESE OFTEN USE SMALL UNIT NIGHT ATTACKS SMALL ARMS (rifles, etc.) INEFFECTIVE AGAINST JAPANESE

BUNKERS/TUNNELS USMC USES FLAMETHROWERS, EXPLOSIVES, GRENADES, ETC.

EXTENSIVELY AIRSTRIP(s) ARE USED BEFORE BATTLE IS OVER (unlike Tarawa) FEW PRISONERS (ON EITHER SIDE) TAKEN

USMC ARTILLER

YFIRE ON

MT. SURIBACH

I

USMC SHERMAN TANK W/FLAMETHROWER ATTACKING IJA POSITION

USMC INFANTRY ATTACKING IJA BUNKER

MARINES TAKE

ORIGINAL FLAG UP MT. SURIBACHI

THE ORIGINAL FLAG RAISING ON MT. SURIBACHI

THE ORIGINAL FLAG RAISING ON

MT. SURIBACHI

ORIGINAL FLAG BEING REPLACED BY THE SECOND FLAG (right)

MARINES POSE WITH THE SECOND FLAG (below)

USMC “K-9” PATROL

ON IWO JIMA

MARINE “K-9” PATROL MEMBERS IN FOXHOLE, IWO JIMA

MARINE KIA, IWO JIMA, 1945

MARINE WITH FLAMETHROWER,IWO JIMA, 1945

USMC INFANTRY, IWO JIMA, 1945

FINAL RESULTS CASUALTIES:

IJA / IJN: KIA/MIA: 22, 500 (APPROX.) POW: 216 (APPROX.)

USMC / USN: KIA: 6,812 WIA: 19, 217

IWO AIRSTRIPS ARE NOW OPEN FOR AERIAL SUPPORT

AERIAL BOMBING CAMPAIGN vs. JAPAN IS ACCELERATED

IWO IS ALSO USED FOR SUPPLY BASE & EMERGENCY LANDINGS