Marine Mind Set On Iwo Jima

CO5060.20

Active member
The Marines on Iwo Jima faught VERY hard. They earned 27 Medals of Honor during that battle alone. I woud like to know what kept them going and what kind of mind set they must have had.
 
because if they tried to turn around and head back to the ships the Japs would shoot them in the back :?
 
CO5060.20 said:
Ahh yes, Hoorah to that, but what mind set drove them to accomplish such a daunting acquisition?

The rage that was called Pearl Harbor. We wanted the Japanese dead and the Marines were America's tool.
 
how many japs were defending iwo jima???

and how many americans took part inthe invasion

i want to know becauase this battle seems big but there never was enough info about it, i know the famous painting was done there
 
21,000 Japanese burrowed into volcanic rock turning the island into a massive fortress.

110,000 Marines landed by 880 ships. The sand was also of course volcanic and couldn't be dug into without it collapsing and filling itself in.

It was a photograph - not a painting.

Plenty of info about Iwo.
 
Charge_7 said:
21,000 Japanese burrowed into volcanic rock turning the island into a massive fortress.

110,000 Marines landed by 880 ships. The sand was also of course volcanic and couldn't be dug into without it collapsing and filling itself in.

It was a photograph - not a painting.

Plenty of info about Iwo.

so it was 5 Marines on 1 japanese. I would bet on Americans before the battle.
 
It was a brutal brutal battle. I've have read that the Japanese would not give up and only a handful of them would be taken as POW's. As for America we fought bravely and thanks to the 3 T's: Tactics, Training, Technology we eventually prevailed. ;)
 
In taking defensive positions it always takes a 3 to 1 ratio at the very least. The defenses the Japanese had were incredibly tough to overcome. The numbers should not lead you to a wrong conclusion.
 
Charge_7 said:
In taking defensive positions it always takes a 3 to 1 ratio at the very least. The defenses the Japanese had were incredibly tough to overcome. The numbers should not lead you to a wrong conclusion.

What was the difference in heavy firepower :?:
 
Heavy firepower doesn't mean much when the enemy is burrowed into the native rock to effect a labyrinth of tunnels and redoubts such that not even 16" naval guns can dislodge them. Heavy firepower didn't win Iwo Jima. The M1 rifle and Marine Corps blood and sweat did.
 
The issue was indoubt for the 1st Marine Division for along time on Guadalcanal. They lacked sufficient supplies, sufficient naval support, sufficient air power. What Air Craft they did have were held together by cannabilizing wrecked aircraft, and fuel had to landed by floating 50 gallon drums from lighters to the beach then manhandled by Marines to Henderson field.
For awhile they subsisted on captured rations. Better than 85% of the "combat ready" Marines were afflicted with Malaria or other tropical illness'.
The Japanese landed reinforcements several times due to lack of Naval support.
No Guadalcanal wasn't more even.
 
Charge_7 said:
Heavy firepower doesn't mean much when the enemy is burrowed into the native rock to effect a labyrinth of tunnels and redoubts such that not even 16" naval guns can dislodge them. Heavy firepower didn't win Iwo Jima. The M1 rifle and Marine Corps blood and sweat did.

Well said - as that proved to be the mindset for other valiant battles in WWII as well.

Not enough can be said for our veterans. The appreciation today tends to be very small in quantity because as of today we relish in technology that baffles mankind itself, and many forget the real sacrifices made. It isn't about the politics, money etc. It is ultimately the soldiers' life - which is why it makes me sick that we have people today who waste their time protesting against a war that won't be overturned instead of coming together and supporting our troops and military, not the cause or effect.

That is why WWII will be known as the last great war because that was the last conflict that drove us to a level of patriotism far beyond any other war we have experienced.

Anyways, sorry about that - I just sort of went on a tear... I'm 16 and about the only one that has an appreciation for our sacrifices and vets around my age. It is now almost something I don't go around talking about cos people in school don't really care - so I thought I'd get it off my chest here. :p However, I am sure most already agree, so I'm really not informing the right group of people.... oh well, atleast I feel better.
 
That's okay Popeye.

The peace and security you grew up with was what these men fought for - and died for.


As to Iwo or Guadalcanal being worse than the other - my father fought at both. He always felt that Guadalcanal was by far the worst he saw.
 
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