The Battle of Iwo Jima

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Battle of Iwo Jima
Background Information
The battle of Iwo Jima refers to a military operation between the United States marine and the Japanese army in 1945. The island was located 750 miles from the Japanese coastal region and contained three airfields that served as a platform to counter any potential attacks on mainland Japan. The American army attacked the territory on 19th February 1945 when general Douglas MacArthur, the southwest pacific region high commander, resolved to capture the Iwo Jima volcanic island that 20,00 veterans of the Japanese forces guarded. The battle lasted for five weeks, resulting in substantial casualties of American soldiers. Mark Grimsley, the writer of “the marines had bypassed Iwo Jima,” states that one in each three Marines who lost their lives during the pacific war died on Iwo Jima. The number of casualties witnessed in Iwo Jima is attributable to the quick downfall of the Japanese kingdom during the second world war. In the recent past, Robert Burrell, the author of “breaking the cycle of Iwo Jima Mythology,” and Mark Grimsley deduced that the Iwo Jima invasion was nonessential. The joint chief of staff sent 82,000 marines to Iwo Jima without justification, and approximately 7,000 lost their lives. The joint chief of staff had multiple reasons for the invasion that does not justify the massive number of marines who lost died in the attack.[History, “Iwo Jima,” HISTORY, August 21, 2018.] [Mark Grimsley, “What If the Navy and Marine Corps Had Bypassed Iwo Jima?,” Navy Times, February 19, 2020.]
The strategy formulated by the U.S marines and its allies in the Second World War justified the attack on Iwo Jima as unnecessary. Military experts in the pacific region revised a specific plan known as the war plan orange that could ensure their victory. Louis Morton illustrates the initial strategies implemented to resist an attack on japan that occurred in 1907. The plans were executed through multiple phases of changes and modifications depending on foreign affairs. For instance, the Joint Board, an advisory body of the navy and army, commanded the examination of war plan orange after the war between japan and china in 1937. The program was finally amended in February 1938, and the navy secretary approved it on 26th February. The main objective of the project was to defeat the Japanese empire. The final document indicates that after mobilization of the army and the navy and improving the power of each military branch, the navy could conduct its attacks on Japan. The battle could start on islands and proceed towards the west across the pacific. Also, blocking the economic activities in japan could play a substantial role in ensuring the United States’ victory in the war, a strategy is known as island hopping. On 22nd January 1943, the JCS provided a memorandum illustrating the entire pacific strategy and how it remained effective during the war. The directive states that the final downfall of Japan would be achieved through bombing, obstruction, and assault.[Louis Morton, “Strategy and Command: The First Two Years,” December 16, 2010.] [Edward Drea et al., “Introductory Essays O Researching Japanese War Crimes Records,” 2006.] [Michael Doyle, “THE U.S. NAVY and WAR PLAN ORANGE, 1933-1940: MAKING NECESSITY a VIRTUE,” Naval War College Review 33, no. 3.]
Iwo Jima before the Battle
Before World War II, the Imperial Japanese army was weak in the Pacific region and could not defend its island, such as the Marshall archipelago. Also, the Japanese air force had lost a significant number of their warplane, and the available warplanes were unable to protect their territory as required by the empire’s military leaders. The region the military failed to protect fully included the island of Iwo Jima. The American military leaders used the information to plan an attack on the island since they believed they would capture the region easily due to the vulnerability of the Japanese military. However, Japan had developed a secret defensive strategy, taking advantage of the mountainous topography and jungles in Iwo Jima to set up invisible artillery positions. The approach formulated by Japanese general Tadamichi ensured that the troops controlling the artillery suffered minimal damage from multiple bombs and heavy gunfire from warships located in the island’s coastal region. As a result, the Japanese army could repel attacks from the U.S marines led by Holland M. Smith.
The Battle
The island of Iwo Jima is positioned approximately 760 miles out of Tokyo and covers around 8 square miles and about 5 miles in length. It is a volcanic island covered with ash and sand and has numerous caves. Mount Suribachi is located on the southwestern side of the island and provides a clear region view. During the U.S invasion, the island had two airfields, Moyotama 1 and 2, located at the center, and a third incomplete airfield situated in the northern region. In May 1944, the Japanese prime minister directed general Tadamachi to create a defense system for Iwo Jima. Tadamichi created a tunnel network under the island to offer protection and a means of transport to surrounding enemy forces. Also, he directed his army to erect numerous pillboxes, gun sites, and blockhouses to cover the ground, which was strong, and only a direct hit could lead to damage. However, Tadamichi decided to keep his troop in caves and tunnels, waiting for the American army to make more advancements in the inland region for artillery attacks instead of heavily guarding the coastline. The Japanese general also gave his troops strict orders to neglect the suicidal charges and rather destroy ten marines from their hideouts.
The JSC had multiple reasons for invading Iwo Jima. Many military experts believed that the invasion of Japan was crucial to succeed in the war after Pearl Harbor. Brian Hanley, who responded to Burrell’s report in “the myth of Iwo Jima: a reply,” said the preparations for japan invasion started in January 1944. Generally, the need for base preparation was relevant of japan invasion. While reviewing Burrell’s report, Brian Hanley depicts that “the army expected to use Iwo Jima as a platform for providing supplies, evacuating wounded soldiers and a temporary air station to conduct bombing operations.” However, Grimsley argued that Iwo Jima Island had no value as a staging region for the invasion of japan since it was too small and lacked anchorages. He argued that the island was 750 miles from Japan, and people were unaware of how the island would fare as a staging area since Japan had not been invaded before. The JCS intended to use Okinawa as a platform and launch a foundation for japan invasion since it was only 350 miles from japan and had anchorages and the available land area, thus making it a perfect spot for setting a staging base. The region is approximately 485 square miles bigger than Portsmouth, which served as a launching base for France’s invasion in 1944. As a result, Iwo Jima was a crucial segment of japan’s invasion to strengthen military activities in Okinawa.[Hanley Brian, “The Myth of Iwo Jima: A Rebuttal1/Captain Burrell - ProQuest,” , 2005.] [Hanley, “The Myth of Iwo jima, “803] [Mark Grimsley.]
On the other side, Major General Schmidt controlled a marine operation of 70,000 troops. The planners deployed the marines on the southeastern beach in seven different sections. The troops prepared for Japanese attacks looked forward to taking control of the island in approximately four days. Schmidt asked the navy to bomb the region before the marines arrived at the island’s coastal area for ten consecutive days. However, his call was denied and was given three days due to the tight schedule before the Okinawa invasion. Also, the limited time provided was unsuccessful due to poor weather and solid Japanese defenses. The U.S Marines arrived at Iwo Jima on 19th February 1945 and encountered unexpected challenges. The passage for vehicles was difficult since the beaches on the island contained soft, volcanic ash. During this time, the Japanese troops lay in waiting as the American forces struggled to match forward. The delayed attacks from the Japanese forces made the Americans consider their previous bombardment successful in eradicating the enemies’ defense in the region. However, the delayed response was a part of Tadamichi’s plan. While the Americans struggled to get a foothold across the beach on the island, Japanese artillery positions in the mountain opened fire, attacking the advancing marines and causing substantial casualties. The U.S navy building units came with numerous bulldozers to remove the ash to reduce the congestion among the American troops. As a result, a section of the American forces successfully separated Suribachi from the entire island.
On 21st February, Tadamichi conducted a kamikaze strike on the United States navy warships, resulting in severe damage to multiple ships. The U.S Marines continued to advance on land and secured Suribachi on 23rd February. The initial Japanese line of defense comprised artificial and natural protection. The Japanese troops engaged the marines with artillery frequently and could maneuver through plant mines on the road to disrupt enemy advancements. Airfields present at Iwo Jima offered adequate Japanese security by interrupting future attacks on or near the land. The marines’ commander at Iwo Jina emphasized the reliance on seizing the island before invading the Japanese mainland. In an article known as “Iwo Jima cost too much.” The general states that invasion of the island was crucial for further advancement in japan and threatened marine advance in Okinawa in the northwest region, which was among the primary techniques for invading Japan. Capturing Iwo Jima before proceeding with assaults was crucial due to the two active airfields in ten regions. Japan was building a third airfield when the United States took control of the island. After capturing the island, the marines used the airfield to launch fighter planes and bombers that disrupted multiple landings in Japan and Okinawa.[Gek Holland, M Smith, and Percy Finch, “Iwo Jima Cost Too Much,” 2013.] [Robert Burrell, Breaking the Cycle of Iwo Jima Mythology: A Strategic Study of Operation Detachment, 2004.]
In their presentation of World War II, Commander Walter Whitehill and Admiral King illustrated how Iwo Jima served as an aerial lookout station for japan. Military experts suggest that surprise military attacks are generally successful compared to others. Regarding this, the seizure of Iwo Jima and transforming it into a lookout station was crucial to enhance the odds of successful attacks on Okinawa and Japan. A report in the Chicago Tribune on 18th February 1945 shows Iwo Jima was valuable to the Japanese as a warning station. The article states that frequent bombings from the Marianas hit the region but still served as a helpful warning station that received numerous Japanese surrogate planes. The JCS was confidential with the information and would continuously suggest that they disable the island as a listening post. However, other Japanese listening posts continued to warn about American attacks on the Japanese until the war was over. The scope of the signs was not for sure, but it was clear that the strategy applied by the United States became more apparent and predictable as their troops advanced. As a result, the listening posts would be rendered almost ineffective.
As illustrated by Admira...