The Battle of Iwo Jima was a highly publicized battle thanks to a photo that was taken of United States Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi. The photo is arguably the most publicized photo of the war. The battle is also important in that it was the first native Japanese soil that was invaded by American's. Approximately 20,000 Japanese and 60,000 Americans participated in the battle of Iwo Jima. Twenty-seven Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded in the Battle - more than were awarded to Marines and Navy in any other Battle in our country's history.
Historical summary of the battle
Strategically the island of Iwo Jima was crucial to continue B-29 raid on mainland Japan. The battle was preceded by 10 weeks of bombing from carrier based planes and medium bombers. The preliminary bombardment had been the heaviest up to that point in the war. This softened the island for the ground invasion. The operation was under the overall command of Adm. R. A. Spruance, Commander Fifth Fleet. The first main objective was to capture Mount Suribachi, a key point on the island. The fight to take Mount Suribachi was some of the most intense in the entire war. On February 19th, the Marines began their land invasion. The Marine's had a very rough time throughout the landing and in the first days of the battle. On the 20th, the Marines started the long advance toward Mount Suribachi. They did not reach this destination until the 23rd. Even after the flag was raised, the battle continued to rage for another two months. On April 7, one hundred P51's were stationed on the island and assisting in the B-29 raids on Japan.
Some technical information drawn from: http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/WW2Timeline/LUTZ/iwo.html
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