History - War at a Glance

Sulpher Island and the Last Step The capture of Saipan provides the U.S. Army Air Force with a base from which the B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers can bomb Japan. However, an intermediate stop is needed, a place where damaged B-29s can land and fighter escorts can be based. The Americans target one of the Volcano IslandsIwo Jimaroughly halfway between Saipan and Japan. Iwo Jima (Sulpher Island) is so small8 square miles of volcanic rock and sandthat Japanese commanders realize that landings themselves cannot be defeated. Consequently, the Japanese intend to fight a prolonged campaign so costly the Americans will be unwilling to attempt an invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi turns the sulphurous island into a maze of caves, pillboxes, and dugouts designed to withstand aerial and naval bombardments. He intends to make the Americans pay for every foot of ground. Positions are built to have interlocking fields of fire; others are connected by tunnels that will enable the Japanese to infiltrate American positions. Kuribayashi deploys his 21,000 soldiers and sailors carefully. On December 8, 1944 a small fleet of American cruisers and destroyers bombard Iwo Jima. The island is shelled several more times in December and January. On January 25, 1945, the battleship Indiana, along with cruisers and destroyers, pound the island. Heavy and medium bombers add their bombs to the pounding. To the defenders, the island itself seems to be shaking. However, the effort does little damage to the Japanese positions. By February 1 the air raids are a daily occurrence. On February 16, six battleships, five cruisers, and 16 destroyers begin an almost continuous bombardment. Planes from 10 escort carriers fly sorties from morning until night. Two days later, two carrier groups and additional battleships, cruisers, and destroyers join the pre-invasion bombardment. Two divisions of U.S. Marines begin landing on February 19, 1945. For the first few minutes, there is almost no opposition; then the Japanese open fire. Soldiers, tanks, and vehicles flounder in the soft black volcanic sand, providing easy targets. As the Marines push inland, Japanese resistance becomes more tenacious. However, by the end of the first day, the two divisions (30,000 men) are ashore, the beachhead is secure, and American units have pushed clear across the center of the island. The fighting is vicious on both sides. The Americans bring overwhelming fire to bear to make small advances; the Japanese resist each attack to the last man. Caves are often cleared only after hand-to-hand struggles. After three bloody days, the Marines succeed in securing 600-foot-high Mount Suribachi and one of the islands three airfields. By March 3, the other two airfields are in American hands. Another 23 days of grim combat remain. Pillboxes are subdued with multiple flamethrowers. Japanese defenders let units advance past them, catching Marines in deadly crossfires. There are several large-scale Japanese suicide attacks. The final such attack on March 26 marks the end of the fighting on Iwo Jima. Securing 8 square miles of volcanic rock costs the Marines nearly 24,000 casualties, including 6,000 dead; roughly 3,000 casualties per square mile. The Japanese garrison, including Kuribayashi, is wiped out. Only 200 prisoners are taken. The last step in the drive toward Japan is the island of Okinawa. Roughly 300 miles from the Japanese Home Islands, the Americans begin landing 450,000 troops on April 1, 1945. Over 130,000 Japanese soldiers and sailors defend the island. By mid-April the Americans are assailing the Shuri Line, the first major line of Japanese defenders. Soon the fighting becomes cyclic; the Americans attack, pushing the Japanese back, and then the Japanese launch a futile counterattack. This cycle of combat continues for nearly a month. But the Americans continually advance, backing the Japanese defenders into a more confined area. The Americans have superiority in the air, making movement of any sizeable body of troops nearly impossible, further hampering the defenders. On June 18, 1945, Lt. Gen. Simor Buckner, son of a Confederate Civil War general, is killed by Japanese artillery. Buckner is the last American general officer killed in World War II. Four days later, the fighting on Okinawa ends. U.S. Marine and Army casualties are 12,500 dead and 35,500 wounded. More than 160,000 Japanese (including 42,000 civilians) are dead.