Manchuria Russia

The Battle of Iwo Jima (Operation Reasons for the invasion

Detachment) was fought between the
United States of America and the The island of Iwo Jima was crucial to Sea of Japan
continue B-29 Bomber missions on
Empire of Japan during February and Korea Pacific Ocean
mainland Japan. Japan
March of 1945, during the Pacific Yellow
Campaign of World War II. As a Sea
The airfields would provide a base for Kyushu
result of the battle, the United States escort planes on their raids with the
gained control of the island of Iwo B-29’s, allowing them to resupply. China 650 mi Iwo Jima

IWO
Jima, and the airfields located there.
Japan suffered a heavy loss; about
22,000 Japanese troops were
entrenched on the island, and only
Okinawa
The island contained 3 airstrips that the
Japanese had been using for their attacks.
Mariana
With this island captured the Kamikazes 700 mi

JIMA
1,083 survived. The fighting was Islands
would have to operate from Okinawa or Luzon
brutal and intense. The U.S. was Kyushu, closer to the mainland. Phillipines Saipan
gaining ground in the Pacific Theater Tinian
Guam
at this point in the war, and the Iwo Jima would provide an emergency
victory at Iwo Jima was another step landing strip half way from Mariana Palau 0 Miles 1000
Operation Detachment towards the Japanese Home Islands. Islands to mainland Japan.

Timeline of the Battle MARCH 2 6

Kitano Point
General Kuribayashi's
heavily fortified
D-DAY FEBRUARY 19, 1945 command center near
JAPANESE Kitano Point was a cave
U.S Marines land on Iwo Jima at 8:59 AM. Hill 362A, named for its MARCH 10 POCKET
This comes after 10 weeks of bombing from with 5 ft. thick walls and
elevation, was a labyrinth of a 10 ft. thick roof. This
carrier based planes and medium bombers. more than 1,000 ft of tunnels.
The first objective was Mt. Suribachi. Until cement capsule was
Once the marines got past under 75 ft. of solid rock.
Mt. Suribachi was taken the Japanese could 362A and Nishi ridge, they
fire on any position the Marines had estab- were able to reach the last
lished. pocket of Japanese defences “The Meatgrinder”
By the end of the first day the Marines had not near Kitano Point. A deadly triangle of
captured half of their original objective and defense made up of Hill
nearly 600 were dead, but Mt. Suribachi had Nishi Airfield 3 382, the highest point
been isolated and part of Airfield #1 had been MARCH 1 (under construction)
on the island besides
captured. Mt. Suribachi, a
Hill 362A concrete-reinforced hill
known as "Turkey
Feb. 20 - Marines advance south to Mt. Knob," and the
Suribachi and north to the airfields.
"Amphitheater," a
Feb. 22 - Marines finally have Mt. Suribachi
Iwo bowl-shaped depression.
surrounded and begin to move up the face of Jima Hill 382
the mountain. FEB. 24
Feb. 23 - First units of Marines reach the top of Turkey Knob
Mt. Suribachi and capture it. Advancements to
the north now have progressed to Airfield #2.
Pacific Ocean
Airfield 2 Amphitheatre
Feb. 24 - 4th and 5th Marines attack after a
76 min. naval bombardment and an airstrike. 4th
The tanks lead the way for both divisions.
Feb. 25 - 3rd Marine division, who had been JAPANESE
offshore in reserve, is called in and begins 5th 3rd POCKET
attack on the center of the Japanese line.
Airfield 1
Feb. 28 - Marines finally occupy the high D-DAY (FEB 19)
ground over looking Airfield #3.

Feb. 31 - Marines begin to attack hills 382

and 362A.

March 1 - Marines take hill 382 and move on

to capture 362A. 25th

March 2 - For the attack on hill 362A the 23rd

Marines decide on a surpise night attack. The
hill is not captured until March 8th.
March 4 - First damaged B-29 Superfortress
lands in Iwo Jima.
March 6 - First P-51 Mustang’s begin
arriving on the captured airfields to provide
air support for the Marines.
March 8 - The Japanese attempt to launch a
counter attack between the 23rd and 24th
regiments, but are stopped by Marine artillery.
March 15 - Resistance continues in many
small pockets located on the island.
March 25 - Last pocket of Japanese resistance
was secured at Kitano Point.
March 26 - The Japanese resistance is over and
the island of Iwo Jima is declared secure.
4th Division
27th
Mt. Suribachi
28th
3rd Division
(on reserve
5th Division until Feb. 25)
Patrol led by Lt. Harold Schreir raises a
small flag on top of Mt. Suribachi at
10:30 A.M. Later a larger flag is
brought from an LST(Landing Ship
Tank) and raised. This was the famous
photograph by Joe Rosenthal that was
to become the most famous and widely
produced photograph of World War II.
Marines landings all but easy.
The volcanic ash hard to climb through with
100 pound packs carried by the Marines.
The high angle of the slope made return fire
very difficult during the initial landings.
Beaches and slopes leading from the beaches
all zeroed in by the Japanese gunners.
N regiments
divisions
0 1 main island
defences
Miles

A hidden enemy Price of the battle

Under the surface the island of Iwo Iwo Jima was the only Marine battle where the American casualties, 26,000, exceeded the Japanese - most of the 22,000
Jima had been turned into a deadly defending the island. The 6,821 American servicemen killed doubled the deaths of the Twin-Towers of 9/11. A total of 70,000
ant hill. A complex and extensive U.S. Marines were available for the invasion.
system of tunnels, caves, and
gun emplacements were Total Deaths Marines Killed Or Wounded
constructed nine months 20,000 (est.)
20,000 9,000
prior to the invasion. Killed In Action
There were over 16 miles 7,500
of interconnected Wounded
15,000
concrete underground 6,000
tunnels with multiple
firing points. 10,000 4,500
6,821 6,821 3,000
5,000
1,500

0 0
U.S. Japan Feb. 19 Feb 20-24 Feb 25-Mar 10 Mar 11-26

Sources: Wikipedia, Iwo Jima by Richard Newcomb, The History Channel, ibiblio.org Graphic: John Lubbers