Purpose of Our Lesson

• Describe the geographical features of the island of Iwo Jima and tell how these features played a part in this battle?

• Why was Iwo Jima an important island to capture from the US perspective?

• Why was the defense of Iwo Jima so important from the Japanese perspective?

The Island of Iwo Jima

• Approximately 650 miles South of Tokyo, Japan

• Small (8 square miles), volcanic island (Mt. Suribachi)

• Black, volcanic sand beaches and porous, soft rock terrain

Perspective

• Latin:per=through• spect=look, watch

Definition: point of view

Perspective is shaped by experiences, life lessons, outside influences

• Example: Perspectives on music

Iwo Jima’s Importance (US Perspective)

Wanted an airbase close enough to mainland Japan to carrier out bombings/air strikes

Island hopping towards the Japanese mainland-(Iwo Jima a Japanese island prior to WW II)

Japanese airfields on Iwo Jima enabled attacks on US ships

Airfields of Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima’s Importance (Japanese perspective)

• Japanese territory for thousands of years

• Air bases allowed for attacks on US

• Hoped strong, defensive stand against US would encourage the US not to invade mainland Japan

Japanese Defense

22,000 troops led by General Kuribayashi

The Japanese began their preparation for a US invasion months before the US arrived

Planted land mines, constructed pillboxes and cave bunkers

dug a complex system of caves from which to defend against US invasion from a protected position

US Invasion of Iwo Jima

• June, 1944-Naval attacks and B29 bombings of island begin

• US Forces lead by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

• February, 1945-Land invasion of the southeast beach of Iwo Jima (Invasion Beach)

• Focus begins at Mt. Suribachi where Japanese have several bunkers built within, US persists and conquers the area-raises the flag at the summit of Mt. Suribachi

Results of Battle

• 36 day battle: -6,800 US troops dead-Of approximately 22,000 Japanese troops in Iwo Jima,

approximately 1,000 survived• US would move on to its final “island hopping” target:

Okinawa• In these final 2 battles, US learns just how fiercely the

Japanese are willing to fight to defend their own soil• As a result, US considers alternatives to a land invasion

of Japan