The Battle of Iwo Jima

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The purpose of this paper is to discuss the Battle of Iwo Jima or Operation Detachment, the events that caused the battle and the after effects it had on the United States. The Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the most major battles of WWII of 1945. Although, during WWII many battles were fought this was one of the most important because, American invasion had the goal of capturing the entire island including its three airfields, to provide a staging area for attacks on the Japanese main islands. It was the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of War World II. The battles itself was immortalized by Joe Rosenthal's photograph of the raising of the U.S. flag on top of the Mount Suribachi by five U.S. Marines and one U.S. Navy battlefield Hospital Corpsman.

Battle Leaders

The two of main battle leaders were General Holland McTyeire "Howlin' Mad" Smith of the U.S Army and General Tadamichi Kuribayashi of Imperial Japanese Army. Admiral Marc Andrew "Pete" Mitscher, General Graves Blanchard Erskine, General Clifton Bledsoe Cates, Lieutenant General Keller Emrick Rockey, Chester William Nimitz, and Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance also helped lead the U.S to victory during the battle of Iwo Jima. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi was assisted by Colonel Baron Takeichi Nishi who commanded the 26th Tank Regiment under the Ogasawara Corps (“The Battle of Iwo Jima,” n.d.).

U.S Battle Leaders

General Holland McTyeire "Howlin' Mad" Smith Holland Smith was born on April 20, 1882 in Hatchechubbee, Alabama. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University in 1901. Smith, become first sergeant of a cavalry company in the Alabama National Guard. He then sought a commission in the Army, but instead was appointed a Marine second lieutenant on ...

... middle of paper ...

...ith. (2014, January 21). Wikipedia. Retrieved January 23, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland_Smith

Iwo Jima (island, Japan). (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/298379/Iwo-Jima

Iwo Jima Operation, February - March 1945. (n.d.). Iwo Jima Operation, February - March 1945. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/iwojima/iwojima.htm

Tadamichi Kuribayashi. (2014, January 21). Wikipedia. Retrieved January 23, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadamichi_Kuribayashi

Takeichi Nishi. (2014, January 1). Wikipedia. Retrieved January 23, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeichi_Nishi

United States Marine Corps. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps#Origins

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