2. The Battle of Iwo Jima: February 19th – March 26th, 1945

3. U. S. General Douglas MacArthur “island hopped” through the Pacific
U.S. General Douglas MacArthur “island hopped” through the Pacific. Rather than attack and capture each and every Japanese controlled island, which would be extremely costly to U.S. troops, U.S. forces would “hop” over many islands and attack islands that were not as well defended closer to Japan.
MacArthur would then use air forces to cut supply lines and starve the Japanese soldiers left in the Pacific.
“Hit ‘em where they ain’t, let them die on the vine,” MacArthur declared.

4. U.S. Troops heading towards Iwo Jima
in amphibious boats.

5. U. S. Air Force flying high above Iwo Jima
U.S. Air Force flying high above Iwo Jima. You can see the American Naval fleet below near the shore.

6. U.S. Marines storming the beaches of Iwo Jima

7. Mt. Suribachi in the background
Mt. Suribachi in the background. Japanese gunners fire down at the attacking U.S. forces. The Japanese had a view of every inch of the beach. Every Marine on the island was in range of Japanese guns.

8. A U. S. Marine with a flamethrower. Historians described U. S
A U.S. Marine with a flamethrower. Historians described U.S. forces' attack against the Japanese defense at Iwo Jima as "throwing human flesh against reinforced concrete." 

9. Have you seen any Japanese soldiers?
The U.S. Marines were above ground and the Japanese were underground in tunnels and bunkers. The U.S. Marines rarely saw an alive Japanese soldier. However, the Japanese could see the Marines perfectly. 

10. U.S. Marines used flamethrowers to attack tunnel openings and flush the Japanese out of their bunkers.

11. Liquid gas, napalm and hand grenades were also useful against the underground Japanese forces.

12. Fallen U.S. Marines on the sands of Iwo Jima.

13. More US Marines earned the Medal of Honor on Iwo Jima than in any other battle in US History.
In 36 days of fighting there were 26,851 US casualties (1 in 3 were killed or wounded).
Of these, 6,825 American soldiers were killed.
Of the approximate 22,000 Japanese soldiers, only around 200 were left alive.
Hundreds of these soldiers committed suicide.

14. The U.S. effort provided a vital link in the “island hopping” strategy. The U.S. was now within range of bombing every city in Japan.