The Costly Victory at Iwo Jima Allowed the United States Air Power to Conduct Strategic and Effective Bombing of the Japanese Mainland
Abstract
During World War II the United States launched a high-level bombing operation against Japan. After the capture of the Mariana Islands, the US 20th Air Force could mount a large-scale campaign against the industrial center of Japan. The only obstacle to this was the strategically important island of Iwo Jima that housed two airfields, with a third under construction, as well as a radar station that could give up to two hours warning of an impeding raid. The Air Force needed to eliminate the fighter threat to their bombers and neutralize the radar station there. The island would also be useful as a refuge for damaged aircraft returning from raids, as a base for air-sea rescue flying boats and for P-51 long-range fighters to escort the B-29 bombers. On 3rd October 1944, the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a directive to Admiral Nimitz to take Iwo Jima. The battle, which was described as the "most savage and costly battle in the history of the Marine Corps". In order to understand Iwo Jima and Mount Surubachi more clearly, we must view some early developments of Japan. Modern Japan's foreign policy was shaped at the outset by its need to reconcile its Asian identity with its desire for status and security in an international order dominated by the west. The principal foreign policy goals of the Meiji period (1868-1912) were to protect the integrity and independence of the nation against Western domination and to win equality of status with the leading nation of the West by reversing the unequal treaties. Since fear of the western military power was the chief concern of the Meiji leaders, their highest priority was building up the basic requirements for national defense, under the slogan "Wealth and Arms". An important objective of the military buildup was to gain the respect of the Western powers and achieves equal status for Japan in the international community.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- AD1111486
Entities
People
- Donald E. Wright
- Jacqueline D. Thomas
- Pavol Juscak
- Thomas W. Coleman
- William B. Chambers
Organizations
- United States Army Sergeants Major Academy