Which island was the most heavily defended by the Japanese the scene of brutal fighting and also the place where the Americans famously raised their flag?

US Marines immortalized the bloodiest battles on Iwo Jima with names depicting the brutal combat. The battles included “The Meat Grinder,” where nearly 850 Marines died capturing a Japanese stronghold, and “Bloody Gorge,” where Japanese defenders made their final stand.

Who are the six flag raisers on Iwo Jima?

Of the six flag-raisers in the picture—Ira Hayes, Harold Schultz (identified in June 2016), Michael Strank, Franklin Sousley, Harold Keller (identified in 2019), and Harlon Block—only Hayes, Keller (Marine corporal Rene Gagnon was incorrectly identified in the Rosenthal flag-raising photo), and Schultz (Navy corpsman …

What was the overall Allied strategy during the Battle of Okinawa?

The American forces would conduct a massive artillery barrage followed by a sweeping maneuver to take the island. The Navy would defend the sky and support the American advance. The Okinawan men were forced to serve in the Japanese Army, while their loved ones tried to survive.

Why did Japan defend Iwo Jima?

Iwo Jima was considered strategically important since it provided an air base for Japanese fighter planes to intercept long-range B-29 Superfortress bombers. In addition, it was used by the Japanese to stage nuisance air attacks on the Mariana Islands from November 1944 to January 1945.

How many Marines were killed on Iwo Jima?

7,000
Approximately 70,000 U.S. Marines and 18,000 Japanese soldiers took part in the battle. In thirty-six days of fighting on the island, nearly 7,000 U.S. Marines were killed. Another 20,000 were wounded. Marines captured 216 Japanese soldiers; the rest were killed in action.

What is Iwo Jima called now?

The Japanese island of Iwo Jima has been renamed Iwo To, 60 years after it became the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the second world war.

What tactics did the Japanese use to defend Okinawa?

To defend the escarpment, Japanese troops hunkered down in a network of caves and dugouts. They were determined to hold the ridge and decimated some American platoons until just a few men remained. Much of the fighting was hand-to-hand and particularly ruthless.

What was the strategic purpose of the Battle of Okinawa?

On 1 April 1945, U.S. ground forces began the Battle of Okinawa. The objective was to secure the island, thus removing the last barrier standing between U.S. forces and Imperial Japan.