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The Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Of the 21,000 Japanese soldiers stationed on the island, only 1,000 survived. The United States forces lost 6,821 of its 75,000 soldiers. The intense, often suicidal, resistance shown by the Japanese soldiers shocked even the most venerable Marines. Capturing this tiny island in the Pacific allowed for the safe passage of the B-29 bombers which carried the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, ending the war.
Interesting Facts:
- There were actually two flag raisings on Iwo Jima. The first flag raised was not large enough to see. The memorial is designed after the second flag raising.
- Iwo Jima is the largest bronze statue ever cast; the soldiers are 32 feet high, and the total height of the memorial is 78 feet.
- As you drive around the memorial, you can observe the flagpole being raised.
Links:
http://www.iwojima.com
http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/usmc.htm
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