The United States won the Battle of Iwo Jima in February and March 1945, taking the tiny volcanic island after some of the most brutal fighting of the Pacific war. The Japanese garrison, dug into tunnels and caves, fought almost to the last man; the raising of the American flag over Mount Suribachi became one of the most famous images in history.
In February and March 1945, US Marines fought one of the most brutal battles of the Pacific war for a tiny volcanic island called Iwo Jima. The Japanese garrison, dug deep into tunnels and caves, fought almost to the last man. The raising of the American flag over Mount Suribachi became one of the most famous images in history, but the island cost nearly 7,000 American lives and killed almost the entire defending force.
Part of The greatest battles of the Pacific War · Before: Battle of Leyte Gulf · Next: The Battle of Okinawa · Key figures: John Basilone, Ira Hayes
Why Iwo Jima
The little island lay on the air route between the American bomber bases in the Marianas and Japan. Its airfields could host fighter escorts and give crippled B-29 bombers a place to land1. Taking it was expected to be costly but relatively quick.
An island turned into a fortress
The Japanese commander, Tadamichi Kuribayashi, gave up defending the beaches1 and instead honeycombed the island with tunnels, bunkers and hidden gun positions. His men were told to fight from cover, kill as many Americans as possible, and hold to the death1 rather than waste themselves in early charges.
The flag on Suribachi
The Marines landed on 19 February under heavy fire2 on soft volcanic ash. After days of savage fighting they took Mount Suribachi, the island's high point, and raised the American flag on its summit2. A photograph of a flag-raising on the summit became one of the most reproduced images in history, though weeks of grinding battle across the island still lay ahead.
The cost
Nearly 7,000 Americans were killed and around 20,000 wounded.3 Of the roughly 21,000 Japanese defenders, almost all died; only a few hundred were captured3. It was one of the few Pacific battles where American casualties matched or exceeded the enemy's3. The airfields went on to save many bomber crews1, and Iwo Jima became a lasting symbol of Marine Corps sacrifice.
