Iwo Jima Research Paper

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Rueter 1 Madeleine Rueter Mrs. Patricia Martin Social Studies 8M September 2014 The Battle of Iwo Jima The battle of Iwo Jima was a major turning point in World War II. The invasion stemmed from a need for a base near the Japanese coast. Securing the Japanese island was a huge strategic victory for the United States and its allies in the war because it provided an emergency landing strip for crippled B-29’s and minimized Japan’s ability to intercept bombing fighters. The great distance between mainland Japan and U.S. bases in the Marina Islands left B-29s returning from bombing runs at risk because there was no place to land if they suffered damage. At the same time, the island provided Japanese troops with an opportunity…show more content…
Marines had previously encountered and because the underground tunnels were not visible from the air, they came as a surprise to the Marines. The Japanese, who were more familiar with the island, did as much as they could to use the geography to their advantage. The Japanese fought fiercely during the battle. Japanese leaders knew that the capture of Iwo Jima would mean the invasion of Japan itself was not far off. They were totally outnumbered but used their limited resources wisely. They concentrated their forces on the central and northern parts of the island offering only little resistance as the U.S. Marines invaded the beaches. When the U.S. troops advanced further onto the island, the Japanese emerged from their forfeited underground positions. They knew the terrain well and could pop out of a tunnel at any second. The Japanese commander on the island, Lieutenant General Kuribayashi, supposedly advised his soldiers to kill ten of their enemies every day until they died…show more content…
Air Force conducted extended bombing raids beginning in June 1944. Additionally, a three-day preparatory navel bombardment took place. Then, on February 19, 1945, Marines from the 4th and 5th divisions invaded the beach on Iwo Jima. They experienced initial success due to light Japanese resistance on the outside of the island. But, as the Marines pushed forward, the Japanese emerged from their underground positions with strong opposition. The U.S. Marines pushed on and soon secured Quarry, a Japanese strong point, and isolated Mount Suribachi. After the second day of fighting, a third of the island was secured and the Marines controlled the first airfield. By February 23rd, the Marines had reached the

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