Iwo Jima (island)
Iwo Jima, now officially known as Iwo To, is a small volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean, located approximately 760 miles from mainland Japan. Known for its significant role in World War II, particularly during the intense 36-day Battle of Iwo Jima, the island became a strategically vital point for U.S. military operations. The battle commenced on February 19, 1945, and resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, with over 6,800 American Marines and a significant number of Japanese soldiers losing their lives. The iconic image of U.S. Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi during this battle has become a symbol of American military courage and is commemorated by the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, D.C.
Iwo Jima is characterized by its rugged terrain, including the prominent Mount Suribachi, and is part of the active Volcano Islands chain. Although the island had a small population historically, it was evacuated during the war and has since seen limited civilian presence, as it is primarily controlled by the Japanese military. Access to the island is restricted, with visits allowed only under specific conditions. Additionally, recent volcanic activity has raised concerns, with eruptions leading to the emergence of a new island named Niijima. The ongoing geological activity continues to pose potential risks to nearby regions, highlighting the island's dynamic and complex nature.
Iwo Jima (island)
Iwo Jima (pronounced EE-woo JEE-mah) is a small Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean that was the site of a bloody battle during World War II (1939–1945). Toward the beginning of the thirty-six day Battle of Iwo Jima, six soldiers placed an American flag near the top of the island's Mount Suribachi. A photo capturing this moment became one of the most iconic images of the war and later was the basis for the Marine Corps War Memorial at Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C., which honors all World War II Marine Corps casualties.
Iwo Jima is located approximately 760 miles (1,220 kilometers) off the coast of mainland Japan, almost directly south of Tokyo. The island is volcanic in origin, and the name Iwo Jima means Sulfur Island in Japanese. In 2007, Japan officially changed the name of the island back to its prewar name of Iwo To or Iō-tō, both also meaning Sulphur Island. However, the island is still widely known in the United States by its Iwo Jima name.
Background
Iwo Jima is an island 5 miles (8 kilometers) long and 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide at its broadest point. It is 8.1 square miles (21 square kilometers) in total area and is shaped like a pork chop, with its tallest point, Mount Suribachi, rising 528 feet (161 meters) from its southwestern-most area. The terrain descends from Mount Suribachi into a plateau of ravines and small hills that are named for their respective heights such as Hill 382. The beaches are composed of black volcanic sand. The island was created by the twin cones of a volcano rising from the sea, and it still sits on an active volcano that frequently has small eruptions—most recently from 2023-2024.
Iwo Jima is part of a chain of four islands called the Volcano Islands (Iō or Iwo in Japanese). Historically, these islands had only a small prewar population due to their isolation and lack of natural resources. In the modern era, Iwo Jima is home to a small military installation that constitutes the only permanent settlement on the islands. Administratively, the island is assigned to the Ogasawara Subprefecture (which is akin to an American county), an area that is regarded as part of metropolitan Tokyo despite its distance from that city.
The first European to sight the island was Spanish navigator Bernardo de la Torre. At the time, the islands were unpopulated. Possession of the island shifted several times over the centuries, ultimately becoming a Japanese possession. The population of Iwo Jima reached 1,091 people by the early twentieth century, mostly concentrated in the village of Motoyama. This small population had limited resources at its disposal. Economically, the residents were dependent on sustenance farming, sugar production, and sulphur mining. The entire populace of Iwo Jima was evacuated in 1944 when it became evident that approaching American forces necessitated their removal.
Overview
During World War II, despite its remoteness, Iwo Jima proved to be an island of vital strategic importance. In late 1944, the United States' military strategy was to secure the Mariana Islands to the southeast of Iwo Jima so that they could be used as landing strips for the United States' massive B-29 bombers. These islands were close enough to the Japanese mainland to allow the planes to bomb Japan and return to their home bases on a single tank of gas. Iwo Jima was located between the Mariana Islands and Japan, allowing Japanese fighter planes to intercept and attack the B-29s. It soon became evident that the U.S. military needed to clear Iwo Jima of Japanese forces.
The U.S. Marines anticipated a quick battle; the island was small and comparatively flat. However, they were unaware of the size of the force on Iwo Jima—which consisted of more than twenty thousand troops—and the fortifications that the Japanese had made. They had constructed a vast warren of underground tunnels and installed hidden artillery and bunkers throughout the island's many hills. Facing the Japanese was an American force of 72,000 Marines—the largest such force ever gathered for a single battle.
The resulting battle was among the bloodiest conflicts of the war. The Americans landed on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945. By the time U.S. forces had declared the island fully under its control on March 26, 1945, more than a third of its force had been killed or injured, including 6,821 dead. One-third of all Marines who died during World War II died on Iwo Jima. The Japanese fared even worse. Rather than surrender, many Japanese soldiers committed suicide. Ultimately, only 1,083 Japanese soldiers survived the battle. Despite the horrific toll to both sides, there were many episodes of bravery. Twenty-seven of the 353 Congressional Medals of Honor awarded for heroism during World War II were given for actions on Iwo Jima.
On the fifth day of the battle, the U.S. forces planted a flag on Mount Suribachi. Because the flag was small, the commander of the U.S. Marines ordered that a second, larger flag be erected. Associated Press (AP) photographer Joe Rosenthal captured the crew of six Marines tasked with raising this flag. One of the resulting photos became one of the most recognized images of war. Three of the six soldiers who planted the flag survived Iwo Jima and were sent stateside to use their resulting celebrity to help sell war bonds.
After World War II, the United States retained control of Iwo Jima before returning it to the Japanese in 1968. Shortly before this exchange, the remains of all American personnel interred on the island were returned to the United States. In the 21st century, Iwo Jima can be visited only with the permission of the Japanese military, and visits to the island are possible only via a military transport plane. For civilians, the island is open only one day of the year and is only accessible with a licensed tour group. Despite Japanese ownership, the United States periodically sends military troops to the island for training through an agreement with the Japanese government. Iwo Jima also has been the site of numerous visits by veterans and their families from both sides of the conflict. The Japanese military maintains a force of approximately 380 to 400 personnel on the island at any given time.
Volcanologists worry that Iwo Jima represents a significant volcanic threat. The island continues to grow due to an expanding magma chamber below the island. The beach where American forces first landed in 1945 had grown 55 feet (17 meters) higher between 1945 and 2015. While the island has only a small population, a massive scale eruption could cause a devastating tsunami that could impact Japan, China, and the Philippines.
Eruptions in October 2023 resulted in the birth of a new island, appropriately named Niijima, which means "new island" in Japanese. Eruptions on October 20 recorded explosions every few minutes which eventually formed Niijima. On November 3, the European Space Agency recorded satellite images of the island from space. The new island was rocked by another eruption on November 23 and scientists continue to monitor the active volcano.
Bibliography
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