Iwo+Jima+and+Okinawa

(1)Iwo Jima is a volcanic island between Saipan and Japan emergency base for flying two and from Japan (2) February 19 1945 30,000 US marines landed on Iwo Jima for Operation Detachment BACKGROUND-just as Germany japan knew they faced possible invasion but did not know when The allies wanted Iwo Jima to neutralize threats to their bombers and to use it's airfields for fighter escort and emergency bomber landings On Feb. 16 there was a three way air assault that did little to effect the Japanese. Allies knew they would have to eventually take Iwo Jima INVASION-2 AM guns signaled the beginning of the invasion. 100 bombers attacked the island followed by naval guns At 8:30 the marines started to their objective Objective=Suribachi mountain Suribachi guarded the beaches eventually the mountain was surrounded the summit reached

Iwo Jima was declared secure on March 26 Casualties:Japanese-Of over 20,000 defenders only 1,000 were taken prisoner Allies Forces:25,000 nearly 7,000 dead Over 1/4 of the medals of the honor awarded to marines in world war II

The signifigance of Iwo Jima was the allies needed Iwo Jima to neutralize threats to their bombers and to use its air fields for fighter escort and emergency bomber landings.

Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

The battle of Okinawa took place between April and July of 1945. The battle was on the southern tip of the Japanese island Okinawa. This battle was known as the "Typhoon of Steel" because of all of the artillery used in the battle. This was the bloodiest battle in the whole Pacific war. Over 150,000 Japanese civilians were killed. (1) More people died in the battle of Okinawa then in the bombings of Hiroshima. (2) Originally the battle of Okinawa was part of a three point plan the U.S. had for winning the war in the Far East. Their original goal was to destroy Japanese merchant fleets. The Japanese troops were lead by General Ushijima. He was told to keep the island at all costs and not let the U.S take over. On May 21st, General Ushijima wanted to pull Japanese troops back from the Suri line, but they held strong, they wouldn't move. Finally on July 2nd Okinawa was declared secured by U.S. Ushijima was killed himself just days before that. (3) Okinawa was the largest amphibious invasion of the pacific campaign and the last major campaign of the pacific war. The significance of Okinawa was that the US won and the Japanese pulled back from the Suri line. And, US secured Okinawa.



Sources: (1)http://www.worldwar2history.info/Iwo-Jima/ [|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa(1)] (2)http://www.world-war-2.info/battles/bt_14.php (3)[|http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/okinawa]