Iwo Jima was known only as one of Japan’s volcanic islands before it became known for the famous battle in which many soldiers were killed. However, it was on this island that the Battle of Iwo Jima between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Imperial Japanese Army took place. The battle happened because the island had three airfields that could provide U.S. forces with strategic locations for other battles. On February 19, 1945, U.S. forces invaded the island, continuing to fight the powerful Japanese for five weeks.
Nearly 7,000 U.S. Marines were killed in the battle. Although the Americans were confident of winning, it took them many days to defeat the Japanese due to their army’s new defensive tactics. They used the mountainous landscape and jungle to set up stealth artillery positions, creating hundreds of obstacles for the U.S. military. On top of that, the island’s beaches are made up of steep dunes of soft volcanic ash. Because of the sand, it became quite difficult to make passages for the tanks.
Even as this small obstacle affected the schedule, the Americans remained calm, as they had launched a pre-emptive attack on the Japanese. Most importantly, when the Americans landed, they were not refuted by the Japanese. This led them to believe that the enemy had conceded defeat. Little did they know that the lack of immediate response was only part of General Ritsu’s plan. The Battle of Iwo Jima is now considered one of the bloodiest events of World War II.
Complete News Source : National Times
