Battle for Iwo Jima World War II February 19 to March 16, 1945 Historical Facts and Figures

Location & Size Location: Approximately 650 miles south of Tokyo, Japan.   Size of Island: Approximately 2 miles wide, 4 miles long; 8  square miles

4 Marines and 1 Sailor (left to right) Ira Hayes, Mike Strank, Franklin Sousley, Rene Gagnon, John Bradley, Harlon Block.

Importance Both Japan and the US valued the sulfurous island Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima was Japanese home soil, part of Japan, only 650 miles from Tokyo. No foreign army in Japan's 5000 year history had trod on Japanese soil. To the US, Iwo Jima's importance lay in its location, midway between Japan and American bomber bases in the Marianas. Since the summer of 1944, the Japanese home islands had been reeling from strikes by the new, long range B-29's. The US, however, had no protective fighters with enough range to escort the big superfortresses. many bombers fell prey to Japanese fighter-interceptor attacks. Iwo, with its three airfields, was ideally located as a fighter-escort station. It was also an ideal sanctuary for crippled bombers returning from Japan.

JAPANESE STRATEGY General Kuribayashi, the Japanese Commander of Iwo Jima, was brilliant. An aristocrat, he was educated in the Canada and toured the US. In Japan, he was one of the few soldiers ever granted an audience by Emperor Hirohito. His preparations, fortifications and strategy were marvels in the history of warfare. The Japanese strategy was unique for three reasons: 1. The Japanese didn't fight above ground. They fought the battle entirely from beneath the ground. They dug 1,500 rooms into the rock. These were connected with 16 miles of tunnels. 2. Japanese strategy called for "no Japanese survivors." They planned not to survive. 3. Japanese strategy was for each soldier to kill 10 Americans before they themselves are killed.

Tadamichi Kuribayashi Quotes "The enemy may land on this island soon. Once they do, we must follow the fate of those on Attu and Saipan. Our officers and men know about “Death” very well. I am sorry to end my life here, fighting the United States of America, but I want to defend this island as long as possible and to delay the enemy air raids on Tokyo. Ah! You have worked well for a long time as my wife and the mother of my three children. Your life will become harder and more precarious. Watch out for your health and live long. The future of our children will not be easy either. Please take care of them after my death." - to wife Yoshie Kuribayashi shortly before the Battle of Iwo Jima .

Tadamichi Kuribayashi Quotes "We are sorry indeed we could not have defended the island successfully. Now I, Kuribayashi, believe that the enemy will invade Japan proper from this island. ... I am very sorry, because I can imagine the scenes of disaster in our empire. However, I comfort myself a little, seeing my officers and men die without regret after struggling in this inch-by-inch battle against an overwhelming enemy with many tanks and being exposed to indescribable bombardments. ... I would like now to apologize to my senior and fellow officers for not being strong enough to stop the enemy invasion" "Do not plan for my return..." - to his wife "You must not expect my survival..." - letter to his wife "The US is the last country in the world we should fight."

Mt Suribachi Mt. Suribachi, the 550-foot volcanic cone at the islands southern tip, dominates both possible landing beaches. From here, Japanese gunners zeroed in on every inch of the landing beach. Blockhouses and pillboxes flanked the landing areas. Machine guns criss-crossed the beaches with deadly interlocking fire. Every Marine, everywhere on the island was always in range of Japanese guns. The Japanese were ready.

The invading US Marines fought above ground The invading US Marines fought above ground. The defending Japanese fought from below ground. The US Marines on Iwo Jima rarely saw a Japanese soldier.

There were no front lines. The Japanese could see the Marines perfectly. 

Liquid gas, napalm and hand grenades were more useful against the underground Japanese.

Historical Facts and Figures Iwo Jima was the first native Japanese soil invaded by Americans in W.W.II. Approximately 60,000 Americans and 20,000 Japanese participated in the Battle.   The American Flag Raising on Mt. Suribachi took place on February 23, 1945 - the fifth day of battle. The Battle continued with increased intensity for a month more. Almost 7,000 Americans were killed in action at Iwo Jima - more than 20,000 American casualties. Approximately one-third of all Marines killed in action in World War II were killed at Iwo Jima, making Iwo Jima the battle with the highest number of casualties in Marine Corps history.

Medals of Honor Twenty-seven Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded in the Battle - more than were awarded to Marines and Navy in any other Battle in our country's history.

Causalities Three of the men who raised the flag in the Joe Rosenthal photo were killed before the Battle was over. After the capture of Iwo Jima, more than 30,000 American Airmen's lives were saved when more than 2,400 disabled B-29 bombers were able to make emergency landings at the Iwo Jima Airfield after making bombing flights over Japan. Of these, 6,825 American boys were killed. Virtually all 20,000 Japanese perished.   Approximately 132 Americans killed at Iwo Jima were unidentifiable and listed as unknown. More than 50 4th Division Marines died of wounds aboard ship and were buried at sea.

Notes The U.S. government returned the island of Iwo Jima to the Japanese government in 1968, after the bodies of the men in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Division cemeteries were removed to the United States.

Famous Quotes The raising of the flag on Iwo Jima, means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years." -James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy “The battle of Iwo Jima has been won. Among the Americans who served on Iwo, uncommon valor was a common virtue.“ -Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, 17 March 1945.

Marine Memorial The Memorial is located at Arlington, VA. It was dedicated on November 10, 1954. It cost $850,000, and not one bit of it came from the public's taxes! It was all donated by  current and former Marines, Marines in reserve, friends of the Marine Corps, and members of the Naval Service. It was sculptured by Felix de Weldon. This memorial is 78 feet tall and weighs 100 tons. Their canteens can be filled up with 8 gallons each. The figures are armed with 16 foot long M-1 Garand rifles or 12 foot long M-1 Garand Carbines, and 5 1/2 foot long combat knives. The Marine Corps Memorial is the largest bronze statue in the world. It is 78 feet tall and weighs 100 tons.