The Battle of Iwo Jima was a critical confrontation in the Pacific theater of World War II. The landing operation commenced with a bombardment by naval ships and aerial bombardments designed to weaken Japanese defenses. Approximately 30,000 U.S. Marines landed on the island in an effort to secure its airfields, which were deemed essential for the ongoing aerial campaign against Japan. The Marines faced fierce resistance from an estimated 21,000 well-entrenched Japanese troops, who had transformed the volcanic island into a formidable stronghold. The battle was characterized by fierce combat, with iconic moments such as the planting of the U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi captured in the famous photograph by Joe Rosenthal.

Over the course of 36 days, U.S. forces engaged in brutal close-quarters combat against a tenacious enemy. The Japanese defenders adopted a strategy of attrition, utilizing the island’s rugged terrain to their advantage. The Marines faced harsh conditions and high casualties, with nearly 7,000 killed and about 19,000 wounded. Ultimately, despite the heavy losses, American forces secured control of the island on March 26, 1945, which allowed them to use Iwo Jima as a staging ground for future operations against Japan, including the eventual assault on Okinawa.

Iwo Jima would become a symbolic victory for the United States, representing the resolve and sacrifice of U.S. Marines during WWII. The battle's ferocity and the high casualty rates highlighted the brutal nature of the Pacific War and foreshadowed the potentially catastrophic cost of an invasion of the Japanese home islands. The commanders on the ground, such as Major General Harry Schmidt and Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, made strategic decisions that influenced the course and outcome of the battle, illustrating the complexities of warfare in the Pacific Theater.