Iwo Jima

The US flag is raised on the summit of Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, 23 February 1945. The final battle on this Japanese island was intense; Japanese troops were told to kill themselves with their last grenade or bullet rather than face the ignominy of capture.

Largest of the three Japanese Volcano Islands in the western Pacific Ocean, 1,222 km/760 mi south of Tokyo; area 22 sq km/9 sq mi. Annexed by Japan in 1891, Iwo Jima, also known as Naka Iojima, was captured by the USA in 1945 after fierce fighting. It was returned to Japan in 1968.

At the end of World War II, Iwo Jima was a valuable strategic target for US forces as it could provide a base for fighters to escort bombers based in Marianas and support the blockade of Japan. It was taken by US Marines between February and March 1945. The fanatical resistance of the Japanese troops made the campaign notorious: US casualties came to 6,891 killed and 18,700 wounded, while only 212 of the 22,000-strong Japanese garrison survived.