The Battle in the Pacific

How was the U.S. military strategy in the Pacific different than in Europe?

Map of Japanese Power at its Height in the War 1942

U.S. Military Strategy in Pacific - “island-hopping”

First: Gen. Douglas MacArthur would move north from Australia, through New Guinea, and eventually to the Philippines

Second: Admiral Chester Nimitz would move west from Hawaii toward major Japanese island outposts in the central Pacific

Eventually these two strategies would meet and invade Japan.

Battle of Iwo Jima

February 19 - March 11, 1945 Costliest battle in the history of the marine corps

Why Iwo Jima?

US needed it for bombing operations Closer to Japan Once taken, used as fighter base to escort

bombers and landing site for B-29 bombers

Japanese Strategy

The Japanese didn't fight above ground. They fought the battle entirely from beneath the ground. They dug 1,500 rooms into the rock. These were connected with 16 miles of tunnels.

Japanese strategy called for "no Japanese survivors." They planned not to survive.

Japanese strategy was for each soldier to kill 10 Americans before they themselves are killed.

Bombing Iwo Jima

Beach Wreckage

Marines Climb Towards Mt. Suribachi

Raising of the Flag

The six flag raisers in the picture are (left to right) Pfc Ira Hayes, Pfc Franklin Sously, Sgt Michael Strank, Pharmacist's Mate 2nd Class John H Bradley, Pfc Rene A Gagnon and Cpl Harlon H Block. Sousley, Strank and Block were tragically killed on Iwo Jima.

Dedicated Nov. 10, 1954