The battles of Iwo Jima opposed on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima (in Japanese Iōjima ) the the United States, attacker, and the Japan in February and March 1945 within the framework of the theater of operation of the Pacifique of the Second world war. The island was conquered. The battle is particularly famous for the photograph of the American soldiers setting up the flag at the top of the Suribachi mount.

At the beginning of 1945, Japan is bombarded daily since the the Northern Marianna Islands (operation Scavenger ). Iwo Jima is used as station of alarm for defense.

Months before, the Allies had unloaded on the island of Leyte in the Filipino , finding it vacuum of defenders, which had hastened eight weeks the program of conquest. But the attack on the island of Okinawa could not start before eight weeks. Then it was decided to invade Iwo Jima, which would bear the name of operation Detachment .

The defenders were ready. The island had a garrison of 22.000 soldiers and was strengthened with a network of underground protections. The goal was to inflict severe losses with the Allies, which could discourage from them invading the principal islands. All were to make the sacrifice of their life for their fatherland by carrying ten enemies with them.

The invasions of the previous months had returned the Americans being wary. Thus, to leave February 16th began an air and naval systematic ramming, that during three days. In spite of that, buried defenses were damaged very little.

The battle on the island

At the dawn of the February 19th, Ve Corps amphibious (3rd, 4th and the 5th divisions of Navy) unloads, that is to say thirty thousand men. They must face a fire heavy since the mountain Suribachi in the south of the island. The Japanese waited until the navy took foot on the beach before engaging a hot fire. The Americans are nailed on the beaches but the progression is done with the support of the fire of Navy. It is not possible to dig holes in the Lave and only the Lance-flammes and the grenades can dislodge the cut off defenders. Forty nautical mile follows and, finally, on February 23rd, the top is reached. A flag is high on Suribachi and a second replaces it shortly after. The scene of second is immortalisée by a stereotype of Joe Rosenthal.

The catch of the aerodromes

The 22.000 Japanese fight of all their forces, but a first aerodrome is taken on February 22nd. The second is the object of combat wild and confused where the Japanese launch out in counter-attacks suicides which cause the disorder in the battle. The Sherman tanks jump the ones after the others because of the dissimulated anti-tank guns and the many mines. February 25th, the last Japanese soldiers commit suicide. March 2nd, the third airfield falls after bloody combat. A zone located at the east of the second airport is baptized the meatgrinder (the meat-mincer) by the marine . It will fall on March 3rd but will have cost it only 6.600 marine wounded or killed. March 15th, the island is taken but the Americans must clean tough pockets of resistance. The blockhouse of Kuribayashi will be neutralized only on March 25th; there will be no survivor. Only thousand Japanese will be made prisoners.

Losses

The allied forces underwent 25.000 losses including 7.000 dead. The quarter of the medals of honor allotted to the Navy during the Second world war will be allotted for the invasion of Iwo Jima.

This battle inspired a film Iwo Jima ( Sands off Iwo Jima ), realized in 1949.

Clint Eastwood carried out in 2006 of it a new cinematographic version in two parts:

• history seen on the American side: Memories of our fathers
• history seen on the Japanese side: Letters of Iwo Jima

See too

Internal bond

• photography: Raising the Flag one Iwo Jima
• films: Iwo Jima, Letters of Iwo Jima, Memories of our fathers

External bond

• Iwo Jima - February 19th, 1945

Random links:

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