The Battle for Iwo Jima

After the taking of the Marianas, B-29 Superfortesses flew bombing missions to strike Japan.But, although most Japanese fighters could not get up to the bombers, some B-29s were lost on the way back because there was no emergency landing strip within range.So, the Allied High Command decided to take Iwo Jima because it was halfway between the Marianas and Japan.Iwo Jima was only 750 mile away from Tokyo and it was a part of the Tokyo Prefecture.If the Allies could take Iwo, then it would be a huge blow to the Japanese.
For seven months, the Allies raided and bombarded Iwo almost daily before the invasion, but this had no effect on the Japanese.They had built fortifications underground.On Febuary 19, 1945, General Harry Schimidt's 5th Amphibious Corps landed on Iwo.The 70,000 Marines met savage resistance from the troops under the command of Lt. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi.Although the Marines were taking heavy causalites, they managed to sale Mt. Suribachi and place Old Glory on top.The picture of the flag placing is the most famous picture to come out of World War 2.(Click Here to see the picture!) In Nimitz's own words, "Uncommom Valor was a Common Virtue" pretty much tells the story of the Marines fighting in this hellish place.It took 26 days and 6,000 Marines and sailors to take Iwo Jima on March 26th.Over 20,000 Japanese troops were killed.Now, the B-29's had a base to strike Japan harder.

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