While Iwo Jima is revered in the United States, the battle is largely ignored in Japa

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One statement and one interesting fact, that I never heard of

Once Again, Marines Walk on Iwo Jima
By JAMES BROOKE
Published: March 13, 2005

While Iwo Jima is revered in the United States, the battle is largely ignored in Japan.
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In the 35-day fight for this eight-square-mile volcanic island, 6,821 marines were killed, more than four times the number of American troops killed in two years in Iraq. About 22,000 Japanese defenders were killed, including 1,600 after the island was declared "secure" by military authorities at the end of March 1945. The tunnel network was so impenetrable that the last two Japanese soldiers did not surrender until November 1949, more than four years after the war ended.

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JackInBox said:

The tunnel network was so impenetrable that the last two Japanese soldiers did not surrender until November 1949, more than four years after the war ended.

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Not related to Iwojima, but the most famous "hold-out", Hiroo Onoda, surrendered to Ferdinand Marcos on Lubang in 1975.










However, he wasn't the last...

Someone who should be remembered

The Japanese may not remember the battle for Iwo Jima since it is not the watershed event for them that it was for the USA, and most particularly the United States Marine Corps. But perhaps they should pay more attention to it, or at least to one of their best officers who died there.

Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (1891 - circa March 22, 1945) was the commander of the Japanese garrison at Iwo Jima during the Battle of Iwo Jima. He prepared the defense of the island, and the defensive plan by which it would be defended. The fortifications--which had not even been started until the winter of 1944-1945--were prepared with the precision of an engineer, which he was.

Kuribayashi led his command with patient skill. He held his men in check to avoid the wasteful expenditure of their lives in useless counter-attacks. He never lost sight of his goal, to inflict maximum casualties upon the attacking Americans. He achieved much of that goal, since the Marines on Iwo Jima suffered more casualties than in any previous landing, and as many as were suffered by the Japanese garrison--the big difference being that almost all of the Japanese were killed. LtGen Holland M. Smith USMC, the commander of the Marine assault force, is said to have uttered: "Thank God the Japs do not have any more like him!" High praise from "Howling Mad" Smith, whose rabid hatred of the Japanese was known.

The body of General Kuribayashi was never found. The entire island of Iwo Jima is his tomb, and the Japanese people should honor it in that fashion, as the grave of a hero. There certainly is enough room to erect a memorial to him. If it ever gets done, my bet is that it will be the decendants of his enemies--Americans--who do it.


Tadamichi Kuribayashi - Wikipedia

小野田少尉

thomas said:

Not related to Iwojima, but the most famous "hold-out", Hiroo Onoda, surrendered to Ferdinand Marcos on Lubang in 1975.

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This is a book written by 2nd Lt. Onoda: No Surrender

Now he runs camping programs for children, as well as giving lectures at Hokuriku Univ.