The island of Iwo Jima is located 750 miles south of the main island of Japan along a line of islands known as the Bonin islands. This was the last island in the island-hopping campaign done by the United States. The island of Iwo Jima translates to 'sulfur island' and smells terrible. Since Iwo Jima is a volcanic island, the sands are black and there is very little vegetation on the island and no fresh water. Look at the above picture and try to spot a tree. The island is much smaller than it looks and trees are actually impossible to find (I think the picture misleads the viewer in a way, portraying it to be much more green than it actually is). The island is only 8 square miles in size. Imagine several of tens of thousands of men at a time within 8 square miles, all trying to reduce that number by killing the opposing troops. Maj. Tommy J. Maris said, "most of the fighting was up close, or and to hand. The boys were separated from the men."
The Japanese had great position on the Americans and defended the island well. The philosophy of a Japanese soldier was to kill 10 Americans before dying. They had built a total of 11 miles in spider holes that they used as bunkers to hide in and snipe Americans, for there was no vegetation for either side to hide behind. At any given time, a US soldier was vulnerable to be shot from 3 directions. The Japanese had brilliant strategies for defense based on the terrain. It should have been an easy victory for the Japanese , but the will, fighting ability, and strategy of the Americans together caused almost all 22,000 Japanese to die on the island. The Japanese knew how important the island was to the US and most fought to the death, very few Japanese soldiers surrendered.
The Japanese had great position on the Americans and defended the island well. The philosophy of a Japanese soldier was to kill 10 Americans before dying. They had built a total of 11 miles in spider holes that they used as bunkers to hide in and snipe Americans, for there was no vegetation for either side to hide behind. At any given time, a US soldier was vulnerable to be shot from 3 directions. The Japanese had brilliant strategies for defense based on the terrain. It should have been an easy victory for the Japanese , but the will, fighting ability, and strategy of the Americans together caused almost all 22,000 Japanese to die on the island. The Japanese knew how important the island was to the US and most fought to the death, very few Japanese soldiers surrendered.