...and cruel enemies the U.S have ever fought, Japan. In the distance loomed one of the bloodiest battles that man has ever fought a battle of courage, fear, anguish but above all the sense of patriotism and unity that the American people and soldiers felt when the battle was over and the faint glimmer of peace finally ignited. In the pacific Iwo Jima is quite an insignificant little six mile wide island covered in volcanic ash and hardly any vegetation with mount Suribachi a dormant volcano towering over the rest of the island. Its military vantage in 1944: none. It was originally a deserted island where ample smuggling took place for many centuries, but in 1917 the Japanese decide to set up on Iwo Jima a radio station, 5 soldiers, and 1 weatherman besides that no other major improvement took place until starting of WWII when Japan was being threatened by the U.S strategy of “island hopping”, strategy of attacking each separate island and trying to demolish it before the Japanese knew what was happening. It was a U.S type blitzkrieg using the same lightning speed the only difference was it attacked each little island in the pacific which was slow and quite gruesome. With the American invasion of the Marshalls in early February 1945, following the crippling strikes against the Truk Islands that same month, the Japanese imperial high command voted to take serious steps to reinforce Iwo because of the threat of the fall of the Marianas and Carolines Islands. In February of that same...
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...was bombing. The island that was interfering with the United State's attacks was Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima was playing more than one part in making it harder for U.S. bombers to get to Japan. The battle of Iwo Jima was a very hard fought battle for both sides. One thing Iwo Jima did was launch fighter planes to attack American bombers. As the B-29 bombers...
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...By: S. O'Malley The battle for Iwo Jima was perhaps one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific campaign. The island of Iwo Jima was worth strategical importance to the U.S. and the Empire of Japan. For the Americans, Iwo Jima was the one island causing problems for their bombing raids on Tokyo. With Iwo Jima in Allied hands, bombers could fly through the Pacific and bomb Tokyo without problems. For the Japanese Iwo protected them from bombers and attacks, but it was more important to them for another reason. Iwo was Japanese soil or sacred ground to them, it was a matter of pride, no invading army had ever successfully invaded Japan. The U.S. Marine Corps strategy for taking Iwo was simple and straightforward. Three Marine Corps divisions were to invade Iwo Jima. The 4th and 5th divisions first task was to secure Mt. Suribachi and the surrounding area. Then with support from the 3rd Marine division they would advance northeast and secure the rest of Iwo Jima. The Japanese plan of defense was much more intricate and complicated. The Japanese commander General Kuribayashi constructed a massive tunnel network throughout Mt. Suribachi and the island. Mt. Suribachi was honeycombed with over 1,500 rooms underground. The surface of the island was covered in concealed foxholes, pillboxes, blockhouses, and other assorted structures. He had two more parts to this strategy. He told his troops that there was no surrender. To surrender was to bring dishonor on their family. The...
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...The island Iwo Jima was founded by a sailor Bernardo de la Torre and name it sulfur island in October 1543. Iwo Jima was a battle between America and the Japanese that took place on February 19th 1945 D-day during World War II. D-day was also known as the day which combat attack will be initiated. That day there was 450 plus ships lined up on the shores of the island. Iwo Jima was part of a three point plan that the Americans had for winning the war in the Far East. Iwo Jima is a very small pacific island 4.5 miles long and 2.5 miles wide covered in volcanic rock. It is located at the foot of the Bonin Chain of Islands south of the main Japanese Island of Honshu. Although the Island is quite small it is considered to the Great tactical importance. Since the island was so important the Japanese were determined to keep control of it....
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...Bradley, Franklin Sousley, Harlon Block, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon, and Mike Strank. Although these six men are the greatest symbol of the battle at Iwo Jima it is mainly because of the image not their stories. There were other heroes of the war and this is one reason why John Bradley did not say much about his experiences at Iwo Jima. John believed he was not the hero, that the heroes were the men lost in battle. Curiosity was a primary reason James Bradley decided to research this topic. Bradley explains why John never said a word about what happened, including never mentioning an award he received. He wanted to know why his father never spoke of war and why they only learned about what happened after he had passed. James’ interest pushed him to learn if the other five men affected by this image shared the same beliefs as his father....
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...Flags of our Fathers “Flags of Our Fathers" is a very famous novel, based on true events, that describes one of our country's most popular, historic events. James Bradley is not only the author of the book, but also the son of one of the flag raisers in the novel. The story tells us about the six heroes who rose the United States flag during the bloody battle of Iwo Jima. These men, were not just any ordinary flag raisers; they were men who symbolized our countries strength, honor, victory, and courage, during one of the nations greatest battles. Bradley begins the story by stating that his father, John Bradley, kept to himself when it came to discussing the events of Iwo Jima, the flag raising, and the events that followed. He explains that this was the reason in which he decided to research the 6 lives of the men who now are commemorated in museums, statues, and history books all around the world. These 6 men consisted of John Bradley, who was from Appleton, Wisconsin; Ira Hayes, who was a Pima Indian from a reservation in Phoenix, Arizona; Harlon Block, who was from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas; Mike Strank, who was a Czech immigrant, but raised in Pennsylvania; Franklin Sousley, who was from Hilltop, Kentucky; and Rene Gagnon, who was from Manchester, New Hampshire. They were all young men, ranging in age from eighteen to twenty-four. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, our nation’s attitude towards WWII changed. Many young men realized that our country was in desperate...
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...the American flag on top of Mount Suribachi in the Pacific Island of Iwo Jima. The memorial is created for those who have fought for the country and have passed way doing so. The sculpture was based on a photograph caught by Joe Rosenthal that same day in February. Later on after the photo was taken it was used to create what is known as the Marine Corps Memorial or the Iwo Jima memorial. The battle of Iwo Jima lasted more than thirty six days. Both the Americans and Japanese lost a huge amount of soldiers due to the fight. The war took place in a small island, it contained an old volcano that was used to get a better view of the island from the highest point. After four days of a rough battle the Americans were able to capture the mountain. They raised a small flag to show a symbol of victory, later on the flag was taken down and replaced by a bigger one. The memorial is located outside of the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The sculptor Felix W. de Weldon worked with the three surviving soldiers from the war, Rene A, Gagnon, John...
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...On February 19, 1945 American soldiers made their first strike on the japanese, beginning the battle of Iwo Jima. Seventy years ago U.S. marines began the invasion in Iwo Jima, leading to many deaths of both sides, the Americans and the Japanese. Iwo Jima was just a island until the japanese took over and made it into their airbase. The island was very important strategically for the U.S. fighter planes because it could serve as their base for U.S. heavy bombers to fly to japan from bases on saipan, but the japanese wasn't trying to give it up that easy. The Japs were unique for their top three strategies which were that they fought beneath ground, they believed in dying for their country with a saying called “no japanese survivors”...
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...point Outcome EXAMPLE: North Africa October 1942 to May 1943 Attack Germans from the southern side; expose the vulnerability of the Nazi empire Battle at El Alamein: German forces driven out of Egypt The American offensive finally drove the Germans from Africa, allowing the Allies to move toward Italy Italy July 10 1943 Aug 17 1943 Attack Germans and Italian and open the Mediterranean sea lanes Taking Sicily from the Germans and Italians by over throwing the Mussolini Over throwing the Mussolini Normandy June 6 1944 June 8 1944 To conquer the Germans and gain a second front within Europe. Breaking through the Atlantic wall and had pushed inland. Allies gaining control of a 50 mile stretch on the coast of France, allowing the allies to move toward Paris. Liberation of Paris August 19 1944 August 25 1944 To get the Germans out and to gain control of Paris. The capture of Aachen city German garrison surrendered Part 2: The Pacific Campaign, Battle, or Major Event Dates Allied objective or role Major turning point Outcome Battle of the Coral Sea May 4 1942 May 8 1942 To stop the Japanese from invading Australia Japanese fleet carrier Shokaku and Zuikaku was attacked and severely damaged. Japanese invasion repelled Battle of Midway June 4 1942 June 7 1942 The Japanese wanted to trap the U.S. remaining aircrafts The sinking of Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. The Japanese...
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...Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima by James Bradley with Ron Powers. The novel I read was adapted for young people by Michael French and published in 2001. The author, James Bradley, intended to retell the lives of the men in the infamous flag raising statue. Among these figures were James Bradley’s father, John Henry Bradley. Since few people knew who these young heroes were that raised the flag, James Bradley was going to make it clear the intention of these men’s lives and their dedication to the United States of America. James Bradley spent four years of his life researching with these six men’s families about what they knew of their relatives’ lives. As time progressed, James Bradley realized that these men all had one thing in common. They were all humble men that fought in the battle at Iwo Jima to defend their lives’ of their families and of those around them. James Bradley was one of eight children. His mother was named Elizabeth Van Gorp. In the beginning of this novel, the author introduced the men and their individual lives before the war. Each man had his life ahead of him. The six flag raisers, John Bradley, Franklin Sousley, Harlon Block, Ira Hayes, Mike Strank, and Rene Gagnon, and all young men in America were planning their futures regarding women whom they would marry, what job...
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...Shortly after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the U.S. declared war which would be known as World War II. The U.S. rapidly scrambled to mobilize to fight the war in both Pacific and Atlantic theaters. World War II was the most violent and gruesome war ever fought by mankind, ending with the U.S. two atomic bombs being dropped on Japan. The U.S. responded to the Holocaust. A new mission came about for WWII and that was to unleash the upcoming atomic bomb on Japan. Their plan was to drop bombs in hopes that it would be so powerful it might bring the war to an end (Class notes 3/25-4/1). Industrially, America had a long way to go in order to be ready to fight in a second world war. Roosevelt and his advisers started a draft which enlisted millions of Americans in the armed-forces. This would be fighting strength to the U.S. for a two-front war (The American Promise pg 903). To mobilize America economically, Roosevelt had to put aside the New Deal and started transforming the economy into a military machine. The New Deal was achieved by full employment and economic recovery which were goals that the New Deal had avoided. Factories strained to increasing numbers of bombs, tanks, ammunition ships and airplanes(The American Promise pg 921). Roosevelt needed our country to mobilize not just industrially for war but also politically. There was great fear of espionage against the U.S. particularly by Japanese Americans. Thus on February 19, 1942, Roosevelt issued...
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...Cody Hawkins Ava Humme English 1301 10/23/11 World War Two World War two is one of the most famous wars fought in American history. The intense battle senses, story plots, and natural human interests in this war give it a solid foundation for the big movie screen. Although “Saving Private Ryan” and “Flags of Our Fathers” are two different movies, they are based on the same war. Differences in location, missions, and enemies all play a part. “Saving Private Ryan” and “Flags of Our Fathers” have many differences but at the same time, the two films portray their similarities. In “Saving Private Ryan”, amphibious tanks stormed the beaches of Omaha. Upon arrival, the American soldiers were welcomed to heavy machine gun fire from German soldiers. The Germans were stationed in pill boxes hidden in the nearby hill side. American soldiers were referred to as sitting ducks, while they raced to the beach to find any means of cover. This was the same conflict in “Flags of Our Fathers”, except the American troops invaded the island of Iwo Jima. Instead of pill boxes, the Japanese soldiers were spread out long the beach in rabbit holes that were covered by grasses to hide them from the American soldiers. The characters in these two movies are similar but play different rolls. Eight soldiers in “Saving Private Ryan” are sent on a mission to find Private Ryan and return him to the United States due to the deaths of his three older brothers. The location of Private Ryan is unknown...
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...True heroes possess amazing qualities that make them stand out from the rest due to their impacts on others and courageous deeds.The photograph of the brave soldiers from the Battle of Iwo Jima taken by Joe Rosenthal demonstrated true heroism and courage because they raised the once fallen flag up high so everybody could witness the hard fought victory against the Japanese. Even though the battle of Iwo Jima claimed about 26,000 American lives, the island proved to be crucial because it provided fuel for bombers and would be a resort for damaged planes. Rosenthal gave depth to the photograph by utilizing color positioning, background usage, movement within the soldiers, and amazing emotional appeal to impact the american viewers into feeling patriotic and proud of their heroes....
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...talkers brought medicine bags full of corn pollen, which reminded them of the home they fought for (Lewis 23). Thanks to the Navajos, many battles were won and lives saved. From 1942 to 1945, the code talkers were used by the U.S. Marines to help them send vital information that helped them win battles (Lewis 27). One of the most important battles the Navajos helped win was the fight to gain Iwo Jima. American pilots needed a refueling base between the islands the Allies had conquered and Japan. With the help of the Navajos and their code, the American Marines put a plan into action and established this base. (Avila 211). During this month, six code talkers worked constantly to send 800 flawless messages out (Lewis 22). Miraculously, while avoiding mortar fire and bullets, the Navajos managed to send messages back and forth and use their improvised alphabet code without fail (Aaseng 93). According to Major Howard Connor, “were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima.” (Lewis 27). Although Iwo Jima might have been their greatest victory, the code talkers also helped with many other great battles such as the battle at Guadalcanal. Even though the Marines were greatly deprived of food, ammunition, Naval support, and reinforcements, the code talkers and their fellow Marines managed to take Guadalcanal (Avila 15). This battle was also known as operation shoestring and was another capture that led to the defeat of the Axis powers (6,15). Another capture that...
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...the Attenuation of Ethnic Barriers Six soldiers, as immortalized in Rosenthal’s famous photo of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima in 1945, are seen working together to lift, not a flag, but a ‘G Clef’. The Good Rats’ 1981 album, Great American Music, featured this painting by Pasqual D'Angelo as its album cover. The band’s name, prominently displayed across the top in bulky, stenciled letters, gives this image a militaristic appearance, a characteristic that can have different meanings to different audiences. To many Americans, the military represents the unification of American strength and spirit to better defend its freedom. To others, the military is viewed as the oppressive arm of the Americans’ will to dominate and conquer. Could this be a depiction of American military dominance and cultural imperialism? Or is it a testament to the unifying power of music – crossing racial and ethnic barriers to bind people of all cultures under one flag? Throughout this paper we will examine the painting, the band and the history behind it all to discover the message intended for us. The parallels between this image and the photo it emulates are made evident, not just by its stenciled letters, or even the soldiers themselves – but the painting’s background and overlay. Consisting of a faded, yellowish tint, the painting closely resembles the original photo of Iwo Jima. Yet, while the fading is nearly identical to that of the original photo, the yellow tinting is something more common amongst...
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