By Ivan Toth
The Northern Part of Iwo Jima
Despite losing Mount Suribachi on the southern part of the island, the Japanese firmly held their positions in the north. The rocky terrain favored the defenders even more than Suribachi, which was within range of naval artillery and therefore an easier target for bombardment. Combined with the natural features of the land, Kuribayashi’s fortification system on the northern sector was even more impressive than the one in the south. Under his command, Kuribayashi still had 8 infantry battalions, an armored brigade, three artillery battalions, and three heavy howitzer battalions, along with about 5,000 men from the army and navy.
The “Meat Grinder”
The most difficult task remaining for the Marines was capturing the Motoyama Plateau with its distinctive Hill 382 and the area between them known as the Amphitheater. Together, these positions formed what became infamous as the “meat grinder.” While these battles raged on the right flank, similar struggles unfolded on the left around Hill 362. The primary objective at this point was to capture and secure Airfield No. 2 in the center of the island. Each attempt at advancement failed catastrophically as the Marines suffered severe losses from enfilading fire. Tanks were destroyed by coordinated Japanese fire or turned into blazing wrecks after hitting buried mines. As a result, the fighting dragged on and American casualties mounted.
Capturing positions did not guarantee safety, as previously taken ground could be attacked from behind through the tunnel network and hidden defensive posts equipped with Japanese soldiers, machine guns, and ammunition. Despite this, the Marines managed to overcome these obstacles. They soon noticed that the Japanese hid in tunnels during bombardment and emerged only when American infantry approached, unleashing deadly fire. Over time, the Japanese understood the American tactic of heavy shelling before an infantry assault. To counter an anticipated ambush, General Erskine ordered the 9th Marine Battalion to launch a night attack without prior artillery fire. This decision paid off: many Japanese soldiers were killed while sleeping, a key factor in securing Hill 362. The hill was so important to the Japanese that they immediately launched a counterattack that same night.
Japanese Counterattacks
Despite General Kuribayashi’s prohibition of banzai charges, the local commander decided to launch one, convinced he could retake Suribachi. On the evening of March 8, Captain Samaji Inouye led a charge of about 1,000 men against the American lines. The Americans suffered 347 casualties, including 90 killed. The following day, Marines counted 784 dead Japanese soldiers. That same day, elements of the 3rd Marine Division reached the northern coast, effectively splitting Kuribayashi’s forces in two.
Alongside the ground counterattacks, Japanese kamikaze pilots targeted American ships around the island. Their most notable success was sinking the escort carrier USS Bismarck Sea, inflicting severe damage on the USS Saratoga and lighter damage on the USS Lunga Point.
American Victory, But Resistance Continues
Although the island was declared secure at 18:00 on March 16, 1945 (25 days after the landing), the Marines of the 5th Division continued to encounter Kuribayashi’s defenses in a 640-meter-long canyon in the northwestern part of Iwo Jima. On March 21, the Marines destroyed the command post in the canyon using four tons of explosives. On March 24, they sealed off caves with charges on the northern end of the island. The following day, March 25, a Japanese force of 300 men launched a final desperate counterattack near Airfield No. 2. Navy pilots, Seabees engineers, and Marines from the 5th Pioneer Battalion and 28th Marines held the line for 90 minutes, suffering 53 killed and 120 wounded.
The Last Japanese Counterattack
The identity of those participating in the final Japanese attack remains a point of debate. Some accounts claim that General Kuribayashi himself took part and even led the charge. If true, he would have been the highest-ranking Japanese officer to personally lead an attack during World War II—a major break from tradition, as Japanese generals typically committed seppuku behind the lines while infantry launched the final banzai charges, as seen on Saipan and Okinawa.
Japanese Guerrilla Warfare
The island was officially declared secure at 9:00 a.m. on March 26, 1945. Afterward, the U.S. Army’s 147th Infantry Regiment was stationed on Iwo Jima as a garrison force. However, they soon encountered fierce resistance from roughly 1,000 surviving Japanese soldiers who transitioned to guerrilla warfare. Using the island’s caves—well stocked with supplies—and tunnel networks, they continued to inflict casualties. Over the next three months, the 147th Regiment advanced slowly across the island, using flamethrowers, grenades, and explosives to root out hidden defenders. Some sources claim that the regiment killed more than 6,000 Japanese soldiers during these brutal, little-known engagements.
Final Outcome of the Battle
Of the 20,530 to 21,060 Japanese troops who defended the island, between 17,845 and 18,375 were killed either in combat or by ritual suicide. Only 216 Japanese soldiers were captured alive. After the battle, it was estimated that fewer than 300 Japanese soldiers remained hiding in the caves and tunnels; the real number was closer to 3,000. The Japanese code of honor, bushido, and effective propaganda portraying Americans as merciless animals meant few soldiers surrendered. Those unable to commit suicide hid in caves by day and emerged at night in search of food and water. A few who did surrender were surprised when Americans offered them cigarettes, water, alcohol, or coffee—showing compassion. The last holdouts, two Japanese lieutenants, surrendered only in January 1949.
Massive American Casualties
According to official data from the U.S. Naval Historical Center, the 36-day assault on Iwo Jima resulted in 26,000 American casualties, including 6,800 killed. By comparison, the Battle of Okinawa—which lasted 82 days from early April to mid-June 1945—caused over 62,000 American casualties, including more than 12,000 killed or missing. Iwo Jima was also the only battle where Marine casualties exceeded those of the Japanese, though more Japanese soldiers were killed overall. Two Marines captured during the battle did not survive captivity. The sinking of the USS Bismarck Sea marked the last U.S. aircraft carrier lost in World War II. Since civilians had been evacuated before the invasion, there were no civilian casualties—unlike on Saipan and Okinawa.
Strategic Importance of Capturing Iwo Jima
Looking back, the necessity and long-term strategic value of taking the island remain debated. The Marines, who bore the brunt of casualties, had not been included in planning the operation. Lessons from Iwo Jima shaped preparations for Okinawa and the proposed invasion of mainland Japan. At Tarawa, the high Marine casualties were caused by poor landing conditions. At Iwo Jima, casualties stemmed from insufficient pre-assault bombardment. As a result, future bombardments were intensified. Planning for a potential invasion of Japan also considered that one-third of Japanese forces on Iwo Jima and Okinawa were killed or wounded.
The main justification for taking Iwo Jima was the availability of airfields for fighter escorts accompanying long-range bombers. In reality, only ten such escort missions were flown from Iwo Jima. Japanese aircraft on the island occasionally attacked American bombers en route to Japan, but their overall impact was minimal—only 11 B-29 bombers had been shot down in the three months before the invasion. B-29 crews concluded they did not need to significantly alter their flight routes.
The Japanese used radar on Iwo Jima to warn mainland Japan of incoming B-29 raids from the Marianas, but capturing Iwo Jima did not disrupt this system because the Japanese continued receiving radar warnings from nearby Rota.
Iwo Jima—Just One of Many Potential Refueling Points
During the battle, an American B-29 bomber landed on the southern part of the island—already under U.S. control—and, despite enemy fire, was serviced, refueled, rearmed, and launched again. This suggests that fully capturing the island was not absolutely necessary for further operations. In total, 2,251 B-29 landings were recorded on Iwo Jima during the war. Historian Moskin states that 1,191 fighter escorts and 3,081 strike groups took off from Iwo Jima toward Japan. While downed B-29 crews were rescued thanks to seaplanes and ships stationed on the island, Iwo Jima was only one of many islands that could serve this purpose. Marine Corps Captain Robert Burrell, then a history instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy, noted that only a small portion of the 2,251 landings were true emergencies; most were minor technical inspections, training missions, or refueling stops.
A Tragedy That May Not Have Been Necessary
“Justifications for Operation Detachment began only after the Marines captured the island at enormous cost. The tragic number of American casualties led veterans, journalists, and commanders to focus on the most visible and seemingly rational benefit of the battle: the dramatic image of massive, expensive, technologically advanced B-29 bombers landing on a tiny airfield on the island. As the myths surrounding the flag-raising on Mt. Suribachi reached legendary proportions, the narrative of Iwo Jima as an emergency landing base became necessary to justify the raising of the flag on Mt. Suribachi.”
