Battle of Iwo Jima: How US Marines Broke Japan’s Island Fortress

Battle of Iwo Jima: How US Marines Broke Japan’s Island Fortress Battle of Iwo Jima: How US Marines Broke Japan's Island Fortress He lived in Washington, D.C., toured American factories, and warned that America was the last country Japan should ever fight. Then Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi went to war anyway and built an underground fortress that nearly broke the United States Marine Corps. On February 19, 1945, 70,000 US Marines landed on the black volcanic sand of Iwo Jima expecting to win in five days. Instead they faced 18 km of tunnels, 750 fortified positions, and 22,000 defenders ordered to make every yard cost American lives. Over 36 days, nearly 7,000 Americans and more than 20,000 Japanese were killed, and 27 Medals of Honor were earned, more than in any other battle in Marine Corps history. This full-length WW2 documentary tells the story behind the famous Iwo Jima flag-raising photograph: not the version that ends with the flag, but what happened after it. If you enjoy in-depth war history, please like, subscribe, and tell us in the comments which moment of the battle stayed with you most. Made for educational and historical purposes, in remembrance of the men on both sides. #iwojima #battleofiwojima #ww2 #worldwar2 #usmarines #pacificwar #ww2documentary #militaryhistory #iwojimaflagraising #history