Battle of Iwo Jima, (February 19–March 16, 1945), World War II conflict between the

United States and the Empire of Japan. The United States mounted an amphibious
invasion of the island of Iwo Jima as part of its Pacific campaign against Japan. A costly
victory for the United States, the battle was one of the bloodiest in the history of the U.S.
Marine Corps and was cited as proof of the Japanese military’s willingness to fight to the
last man.
Context

Japanese expansion in World War II

In World War II the Japanese military forces quickly took advantage of their success at Pearl Harbor
to expand their holdings throughout the Pacific and westward toward India. This expansion
continued relatively unchecked until mid-1942. Then, after losing the Battle of Midway, Japan was
forced on the defensive.(more)

Shortly after its attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Japan gained control over
much of Southeast Asia and the central Pacific. The Japanese sphere of control extended
west to Burma (Myanmar), south to the Dutch East Indies (now Malaysia) and New
Guinea, and east to Wake Island. However, the United States assumed command of
Allied forces in the Pacific theatre and mounted a counteroffensive that incorporated a
strategic combination of land, air, and naval assaults.

WORLD WAR II EVENTS

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 Holocaust
1933 - 1945

Invasion of Poland
September 1, 1939 - October 5, 1939

Battle of the Atlantic

September 3, 1939 - May 8, 1945

Dunkirk evacuation
May 26, 1940 - June 4, 1940

North Africa campaigns

June 1940 - May 13, 1943
 Battle of Britain
July 1940 - September 1940

Vichy France
July 1940 - September 1944

the Blitz
September 7, 1940 - May 11, 1941

Battle of Crete
May 20, 1941 - June 1, 1941

Operation Barbarossa
June 22, 1941

Battle of Moscow
September 30, 1941 - January 7, 1942
 Pearl Harbor attack
December 7, 1941

Battle of Wake Island

December 8, 1941 - December 23, 1941

Pacific War
December 8, 1941 - September 2, 1945

Bataan Death March

April 9, 1942

Kokoda Track Campaign

July 1942 - January 1943
 Battle of Stalingrad
August 22, 1942 - February 2, 1943

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

April 19, 1943 - May 16, 1943

Operation Fortitude
1944

Normandy Invasion
June 6, 1944 - July 9, 1944

Battle of Saipan
June 15, 1944 - July 9, 1944

Operation Bagration
June 23, 1944 - August 19, 1944
 Cowra breakout
August 5, 1944

Operation Market Garden

September 17, 1944 - September 27, 1944

Battle of the Bulge

December 16, 1944 - January 16, 1945

Yalta Conference
February 4, 1945 - February 11, 1945

Battle of Iwo Jima

February 19, 1945 - March 26, 1945
 Battle for Castle Itter
May 5, 1945

atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

August 6, 1945 - August 9, 1945

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The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCOS)—Adm. Ernest King, Adm. William Leahy, Gen. George
Marshall, and Gen. Henry (“Hap”) Arnold—was created in 1942 to provide a body of
high command to direct U.S. operations during the war. Each member was a four-star
officer from the U.S. Army, Navy, and Army Air Forces (AAF). The Marine Corps was not
represented in this body during World War II. Convention dictated that a single officer
should command all armed forces in the Pacific, but the JCOS could not agree on any
one person to do so. At King’s urging, the body chose to bifurcate the theatre and gave
Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Adm. Chester Nimitz command over one half each.
Even then, however, there was contention over how to make progress toward the
Japanese homeland. MacArthur wanted to retake the Philippines en route to Tokyo,
while Nimitz wanted an “island-hopping” approach that focused on small strategic gains
throughout the Central Pacific. In 1944 the JCOS agreed on a two-pronged plan that
combined both strategies. By October of that year, MacArthur had landed on Filipino
soil, and Nimitz had seized the Mariana Islands, severely crippling Japanese naval and
air power along the way.
Arnold was of the opinion that the Bonin Islands could be useful for conducting B-29
Superfortress air raids on Tokyo. He was convinced that Iwo Jima (now Iō-tō) in
particular, being halfway between the Mariana Islands and the Japanese capital, would
place his fighters in range of the city so that they could support bombing operations in
the region. Arnold had to rely on the Navy to take these islands for him, however. At the
JCOS’s direction, Nimitz initially intended to take Formosa (Taiwan) rather than Iwo
Jima, but recommendations from his subordinate admirals prompted him to propose
that he seize Iwo Jima and Okinawa instead. The JCOS approved the plan, and in
October 1944 Nimitz began preparations for an Iwo Jima invasion, later known as
Operation Detachment.
Battle

Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima (Iō-tō).

Iwo Jima is located about 760 miles (1,220 km) from Tokyo. It is a small island covering
an area of about 8 square miles (20 square km) and spanning about 5 miles (8 km) in
length. A volcanic island, Iwo Jima is dotted with hundreds of caves and is covered with
volcanic sand and ash. At the southwest tip of the island is Mount Suribachi, a largely
dormant volcano that provides a sweeping view of most of the island. Two beaches flank
the northwest and southeast parts of the western sector. At the time of the U.S. invasion,
there were two airfields in the middle of the island, Motoyama 1 and 2. A third airfield to
the north was unfinished.
In May 1944 Japanese Prime Minister Tōjō Hideki had sent seasoned Lieut. Gen.
Kuribayashi Tadamichi to organize the defense of Iwo Jima. Despite the apparent futility
of resistance, Kuribayashi resolved to make the United States bleed for its victory. He
began by ordering the construction of a tunnel network beneath the island to provide
both protection and a means to circumvent enemy lines. He then had his troops erect
hundreds of pillboxes, blockhouses, and gun sites for aboveground coverage, many of
which were so well constructed that only a direct hit from a battleship could cause
serious damage. However, rather than heavily defending the coastline, he planned to
keep his soldiers in caves and tunnels until the Americans advanced far enough inland to
be decimated by coordinated infantry and artillery fire. Finally, in a break from
traditional Japanese defensive strategy, Kuribayashi gave his men strict orders to
abandon the often-suicidal banzai charges and instead kill 10 Americans each from their
hideouts. By the time U.S. forces initiated their assault, Kuribayashi’s Iwo Jima garrison
had grown to an estimated 21,000 soldiers.

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Iwo Jima, Battle of

Aerial view of the American invasion fleet approaching Iwo Jima, February 19, 1945. (more)
Iwo Jima, Battle of; DUKW
A DUKW taking to the water from the bow doors of the USS LST-782 (landing ship, tank) during the
Battle of Iwo Jima, February 19, 1945.(more)

World War II: Iwo Jima

U.S. Coast Guard and Navy vessels landing supplies on the Marine beachhead at Iwo Jima, February
1945.(more)

Nimitz created a U.S. Joint Expeditionary Force of Navy and Marines to carry out
Operation Detachment. At its disposal was an armada of 11 warships that were intended
to soften up Japanese defenses with sustained bombardment. Maj. Gen. Harry Schmidt
took charge of Marine operations. He fielded the largely veteran 3rd, 4th, and 5th
Marine divisions, totaling some 70,000 troops. U.S. intelligence had reported only
13,000 Japanese defenders and excellent beach terrain for landing, so planners chose to
have the Marines land on the southeastern beach in seven sections (listed southwest to
northeast): Green, Red 1, Red 2, Yellow 1, Yellow 2, Blue 1, and Blue 2. The 28th
Regiment at Green would plow across the 0.5-mile (0.8-km) stretch to the other side of
the island to cut off and eventually take Mount Suribachi. The 27th Regiment at Red 1
and 2 would head northward past Motoyama 1, which would be taken by the 23rd
Regiment at Yellow 1 and 2. The 25th Regiment at Blue 1 and 2 would head east to
secure the right flank. Schmidt was prepared for Japanese banzai attacks and expected
the swarm of bodies to expedite the invasion process, anticipating total control of the
island in no more than four days.

Iwo Jima, Battle of; Pacific War

Men of the U.S. 4th Marine Division landing on Iwo Jima, February 19, 1945.(more)

Iwo Jima, Battle of

USS LSM-238 (landing ship, medium) unloading equipment during the Battle of Iwo Jima, February
1945.(more)

Before landing his Marines on the beaches, Schmidt had requested that the Navy
bombard the island for 10 consecutive days. His request was denied, however, and he
was granted a mere three days on account of Nimitz’s tight schedule ahead of the
Okinawa invasion. The brief period of shelling was blighted by poor weather, and, when
compounded with the island’s well-protected defenses, the bombardment did little to
soften up the Japanese. About 9:00 AM on February 19, 1945, Marines began to land on
the beach in intervals. They were surprised to encounter embankments of volcanic ash
towering some 15 feet (4.6 meters) high. What was supposed to be an easy and
methodical landing process quickly became congested, and Kuribayashi maximized the
confusion by directing his troops and artillery to fire on the U.S. soldiers.
Battle of Iwo Jima: U.S. Marines on Mount Suribachi
U.S. Marines on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima (1945). (more)

Iwo Jima, Battle of; United States Coast Guard

United States Coast Guard personnel resting on a volcanic ash beach during the Battle of Iwo Jima,
1945.(more)

Schmidt sent in U.S. Naval Construction Battalion units (Seabees) with bulldozers to
clear some of the ash, and by the end of that day the 28th Regiment had successfully
isolated Suribachi from the rest of the island. On February 21 Kuribayashi executed a
kamikaze attack on U.S. Navy vessels, badly damaging several ships. U.S. Marines
continued to press forward on land, though, and on February 23 they secured Suribachi.
Marines twice raised the American flag on Suribachi’s summit. The second flag raising
was photographed by Pulitzer Prize-winner Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press, and
his photograph became one of the most famous combat images of World War II.
Iwo Jima, Battle of; United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps Pvt. Rez Hester and his dog Butch during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The 7th
War Dog Platoon was attached to the 25th Regiment, which saw some of the harshest fighting during
the battle.(more)

United States Marine Corps during the Battle of Iwo Jima

United States Marine Corps rocket trucks in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima, February 28,
1945.(more)

The 23rd, 25th, and 27th regiments began to measure their advances in yards. The 23rd
Regiment managed to take Motoyama 1 by February 24 and Motoyama 2 by February
27, but progressing past that point proved exceedingly difficult. The first main Japanese
line of defense lay beyond a sulfur field filled with man-made and natural defenses.
Japanese soldiers battered the Marines with artillery by day, and at night they would slip
behind the U.S. rear and plant mines along roads to disrupt enemy movements. On
February 27 the central regiments, reinforced by the 21st Regiment from the 3rd Marine
Division, mounted a massive coordinated assault that broke through the centre of the
Japanese line and overran the heights adjacent to the unfinished Motoyama 3 airfield
the following day. However, intense fighting continued on the right flank at the
Amphitheater, Turkey Knob, and Hill 382, a rise that would be dubbed “the Meat
Grinder.” From their defensive positions, the Japanese fired on the Marines relentlessly,
and U.S. soldiers resorted to using flamethrowers to snuff out every possible defender,
but the area remained at a stalemate even after Marines took the Meat Grinder on March
2.

Iwo Jima, Battle of

Two members of the 5th Marine Division resting in the shadow of Mount Suribachi during the Battle
of Iwo Jima, February 1945.(more)

On the northern end of the island, the 28th Regiment fought alongside troops from the
5th Division for control of Hills 362A and 362B, seizing them both with considerable
difficulty by March 3. Similarly, the 21st Regiment managed to take Hill 362C near the
island’s northeast shore, leaving only a small but resilient group of Japanese soldiers in
that sector holding out at a site known as Cushman’s Pocket. On March 8 Japanese Navy
Capt. Samaji Inouye led a nighttime banzai attack against Kuribayashi’s orders in hopes
of driving the Americans off of their hill. His attack proved futile, however, and the
casualties inflicted provided an opening for the Marines. By March 10 U.S. troops had
finally cleared the Amphitheater and Turkey Knob of its defenders.
Iwo Jima, Battle of
U.S. Sherman tank modified with a Mark I flame thrower targeting a Japanese strongpoint during the
Battle of Iwo Jima.(more)

Despite areas of intense resistance at Cushman’s Pocket, the northwest coast, and a
small area on the east coast, the U.S. declared Iwo Jima secure on March 16. In actuality
the island would not be secure until March 26, when a few hundred Japanese troops
moved behind enemy lines toward Motoyama 1 and killed about 100 Americans in their
sleep before being gunned down themselves. With the other pockets of defenders killed
or captured, that night attack marked the last major engagement at Iwo Jima.
Aftermath and criticism

injured U.S. Marines at the Battle of Iwo Jima

Injured U.S. Marines being treated at an aid station on Iwo Jima, 1945.

Operation Detachment was one of the deadliest conflicts in U.S. Marine Corps history.
The Japanese death toll approached 18,500 soldiers, and some 6,800 U.S. Marines were
killed and 19,200 were wounded. Twenty-seven Medals of Honor were awarded at the
conclusion of the battle. The fact that Marines were forced to kill the Japanese virtually
to the last man is a testament to the iron grip that Japan’s military indoctrination had on
its servicemen. Even Kuribayashi refused to surrender in the end, by some accounts
preferring to commit seppuku rather than fall into American hands alive. Those few
Japanese soldiers who survived were often ostracized at home because of their failure to
defend the homeland with their lives.
For the United States, the Pyrrhic victory at Iwo Jima provided the AAF with important
airfields that would be used throughout the rest of the Pacific War, but the impetus for
the battle has drawn criticism from both high-ranking generals and prominent
historians. Military historian and Marine Capt. Robert Burrell found that the provision
of fighter escorts on bombing raids—the principal reason for Operation Detachment—
was minimal overall, as only 10 escort missions ever occurred. B-29 bomber raids did
originate from the island and were especially impactful, but these raids were not cited as
a justification for the assault prior to the conclusion of the war. The primary postwar
justification was Iwo Jima’s capacity to provide emergency landings, but, while 2,251 B-
29s landed on the island throughout the rest of the war, the majority of them were not
strictly emergencies. Most concerning, though, was the fact that the JCOS did not
consider either the opinion of the Marines or the doubts of their planners ahead of
ordering the invasion. Had they done so, thousands of lives might have been saved.
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