Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima (February 19 - March 26, 1945) was one of the fiercest battles in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the forces of the Japanese Empire and the United States for control of the island of Ioto, better known as Iwo Jima.
The island of Iwo Jima held strategic significance as it served as an important point for the U.S. Air Force on the way to Japan.
Approximately 70,000 U.S. Marines landed on the island, which was defended by about 21,000 Japanese soldiers.
Despite fierce resistance and a well-organized defense, the Americans gradually gained control over Mount Suribachi (on February 23). It was at this time that the famous photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima was taken, becoming a symbol of American spirit.
The photograph, taken by Joe Rosenthal, depicts six U.S. Marines raising the flag atop Mount Suribachi. The image became one of the most famous war photographs in history, won the Pulitzer Prize, and served as the basis for the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Interestingly, this was actually the second flag raised on the mountain that day. The first one was smaller, and the command decided to replace it with a larger flag to make it more visible. It was this very moment that Rosenthal captured, unaware that his work would become legendary.
The capture of Iwo Jima allowed the United States to use the island as an airbase for further attacks on Japan.
After the war, the island remained under U.S. occupation for a long time. In the 1960s, a military base was established on Iwo Jima, where nuclear weapons were stored. Under pressure from the Japanese government, the United States returned the island to Japan in 1968 and withdrew its troops.
P.S. Image attribution: Joe Rosenthal , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (AI colorized)