US Vets Mark Iwo Jima 65th Anniversary

The Battle of Iwo Jima

65 Years.

That battle is burned into our collective consciousness thanks to one photograph.

A small island, a speck of rock. But something that won't be forgotten by the men that fought there.

History should always be remembered.



[edit on 3/3/2010 by whatukno]

This was, aside from Okinowa, the most inhumane battle that has ever taken place. The atrocities committed by both sides are awe-inspiring, and show how people can completely de-humanize their opposition.

First place Kamakazi planes were used as an actual strategic weapon. over 15,000 gunner emplacements on nothing but a hunk of rock. The only japanese survivors were prisoners.

It is this battle, as well as Okinowa, the necessitated the dropping of the A-bomb. There were more casualties in battle and in the massive firestorms on japanese coastal cities (including tokyo).

It is impossible to comprehend how the japanese mind worked. With a starving population as a result of the submarine blockades, massive civilian casualties in the "firestorms" that out-killed the atomic bomb multiple times, and the army fighting a battle of inhuman immorality, the government continued to fight as if nothing had changed

ahaha theres my history lesson World war 2 was amazing. Nothing is more fun to learn about!

reply to post by whatukno


My Great Uncle Frank was there, he was a Navy Combat Engineer. He saw a Japanese plane go down, and the pilot had this meatball flag around his head. So, my uncle crawled out there, under fire, taking two slugs in the rear to get that flag, which I still have. It has some blood on it, and no, it is not for sale. I also had a Japanese .25 rifle, the ones they shot wooden bullets in, but hard times forced me to sell it, plus, it cost me almost $5 every time I shot it. We still have the bayonet from the rifle, and an American issue bayonet from the Island war in the Pacific.

According to my uncle, Iwo was a god forsaken place made up of black volcanic sand that got into everything. He said the Japanese were ready to all die for their Emperor, and most did just that, some even killed themselves, rather than being captured. We should honor all those men who gave their all there. Some are still there, buried in the black sand.