Iwo Jima

Februrary 19 - March 26, 1945

Background

• The United States wanted to capture Iwo Jima to use its airfields

• The distance of b-29 raids wold be cut in half• The United States started routine bombing of

the island on June 4, 1944

Japan’s ComanderGeneral Kuribayashi

An aristocrat

Educated in Canada and toured the US

One of few soldiers granted an audience

by Emperor Hirohito

America’s Commander

Holland Smith

• Nicnamed “Father of Amphibious”

• Commanded the V Amphibous Corps

• Commanded task force 66

Japan’s Strategy• The Japanesse wouldn’t ever 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.

• Japanese strategy called for "no Japanese survivors." They

planned not to survive.

• Another Japanese strategy was for each soldier to kill 10

Americans before they themselves are killed.

US Invasion

• American air forces pounded Iwo in the longest sustained

aerial offensive of the war. 

• At 8:59 AM the first wave of marines landed on Iwo Jima

• The marines weren’t attacked until they moved further into

the island

• The marines were fighting above ground and the Japanese

were below ground and in bunkers

Land Battle• D-Day February 19, 1945 Shortly before 2am on Feb. 19, 1945, the Navy's big guns

opened up on Iwo Jima again, signaling the beginning of D-Day.

• After an hour of punishment, the fire was lifted, leaving Iwo smoking as if the entire

island were on fire.

• One-hundred-ten bombers screamed out of the sky to drop more bombs. After the planes

left, the big guns of the Navy opened up again.

• At 8:30am, the order, "Land the Landing Force," sent the first wave of Marines towards

the deadly shores. Once ashore, the Marines were bedeviled by the loose volcanic ash.

Unable to dig foxholes, they were sitting ducks for the hidden Japanese gunners.

• Heavy fire made it impossible to land men in an orderly manner. Confusion reigned on

the beaches.

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

Japanese

• One hundred thousand men fighting on a tiny island one-third the size of Manhattan.

• For 36 days Iwo Jima was one of the most populated 7.5 miles on earth.

Losses

USA•6,812 Killed/Missing

•2 Captured

•19,217 Wounded

Japan21,844 Killed

216 Captured

Impact on the War

• The United States won the battle and captured the island

• The Marines' effort provided a vital link in the U.S.chain of bomber bases. By war's end, 2,400 B-29 bombers carrying 27,000 crewman had made emergency landings on Iwo Jima.