IWO JIMA FEBRUARY – MARCH, 1945
Dec 13, 2015
BACKGROUND IWO JIMA:
LOCATION: 750 mi. SOUTH OF TOKYO CONSIDERED ONE OF JAPAN’S “HOME ISLANDS” (define) USED BY JAPANESE AS PART OF “INNER” DEFENSE LINE (unlike Tarawa,
Guadalcanal, etc.) OCCUPIED & FORITFIED BY JAPANESE MILITARY SINCE 1930’s
AFTER THE BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA(1944): JAPAN REALIZES IWO JIMA GARRISON MUST BE STRENGTHENED BECAUSE…A U.S. ATTACK ON HOME ISLANDS IS IMMINENT (define) SO…
MORE TROOPS SENT MORE EQUIPMENT SENT FORTIFICATIONS STRENGTHENED
RESULT? IJA/IJA TROOP STRENGTH (February,’45) = 22,800 (approx.) MASSIVE UNDERGROUND TUNNEL/BUNKER NETWORK JAPANESE DEFENSES: MIXTURE OF…
HEAVY ARTILLERY LIGHT WEAPONS MORTARS CONCEALED BUNKERS / “MURDER HOLES”
BACKGROUND (cont’d.) LATE ‘44/EARLY ‘45:
U.S. MILITARY INCREASES AERIAL BOMBING CAMPAIGN ON HOME ISLANDS
U.S. NEEDS TO CONTROL IWO JIMA (& other islands – ex. OKINAWA)
WHY? IWO HAS LARGE AIRFIELD COMPLEX AIRSTRIPS WOULD PROVIDE…
BASE FOR U.S. BOMBERS TARGETING JAPAN SHORTEN AERIAL DISTANCE TO JAPAN PROVIDE EMERGENCY LANDING STRIPS FOR DAMAGED U.S.
AIRCRAFT BASE FOR LONG-RANGE FIGHTER ESCORTS
JAPANESE WERE USING ISLAND FOR AERIAL ATTACKS ON U.S. FLEET
ISLAND WOULD BE USED AS A NAVAL / AIR / SUPPLY BASE FOR INVASION OF JAPAN
ORDER OF BATTLE IJA / IJN FORCES: 23,000 (approx.)
IWO GARRISON HAS NO NAVAL SUPPORT VERY LITTLE / IRRELEVANT AIR FORCE
U.S. 70,000 – MOSTLY USMC & USN LANDING FORCES U.S. HAS COMPLETE AIR & NAVAL SUPERIORITY
JAPANESE STRATEGY: HOLD FIRE UNTIL SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF U.S.
FORCES HAVE LANDED INFLICT AS MANY CASUALTIES AS POSSIBLE NO RELIEF FROM MAINLAND EXPECTED NO SURRENDER
LT. GENERAL TADAMICHI
KURIBAYASHI, IJACOMMANDING OFFICER,
JAPANESE FORCES, IWO JIMA, FEB. –
MARCH, 1945
THE BATTLE BATTLE LASTS OVER 1 MONTH:
FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 26, 1945 FEW JAPANESE REMAIN AFTER MARCH 11th
Mt. SURIBACHI – TAKEN ON FEB. 23-24TH MADE FAMOUS FOR “FLAG RAISING”
FIGHTING: BATTLE DOESN’T HAVE SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS TYPICAL OF PACIFIC FIGHTING EX. – FEW, IF ANY, ORGANIZED BANZAI CHARGES BY
JAPANESE JAPANESE OFTEN USE SMALL UNIT NIGHT ATTACKS SMALL ARMS (rifles, etc.) INEFFECTIVE AGAINST JAPANESE
BUNKERS/TUNNELS USMC USES FLAMETHROWERS, EXPLOSIVES, GRENADES,
ETC. EXTENSIVELY AIRSTRIP(s) ARE USED BEFORE BATTLE IS OVER (unlike
Tarawa) FEW PRISONERS (ON EITHER SIDE) TAKEN
FINAL RESULTS CASUALTIES:
IJA / IJN: KIA/MIA: 22, 500 (APPROX.) POW: 216 (APPROX.)
USMC / USN: KIA: 6,812 WIA: 19, 217
IWO AIRSTRIPS ARE NOW OPEN FOR AERIAL SUPPORT
AERIAL BOMBING CAMPAIGN vs. JAPAN IS ACCELERATED
IWO IS ALSO USED FOR SUPPLY BASE & EMERGENCY LANDINGS