Iwo Jima

On February 19, 1945, America sent the United States Marines to seize the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. Japanese soldiers defending the island had converted it into a deadly maze of defensive fortifications, tunnels and overlapping fields of machine gun fire. The battle for the island raged for a month. According to Marine Lieutenant General H. M. Smith, it was "the toughest and hardest fight in Marine Corps history." During the battle, a group of Marines raised the American flag at the summit of Mount Suribachi, the highest point on the island. The legendary photograph of the flag raising has become a Marine icon, symbolizing the fighting spirit and unflagging dedication of United States Marines.

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