70 years ago, on the night of March 25-26, 1945, the last defenders of Iwo Jima, led by General Tadamichi Kuribayashi and Rear Admiral Rinosuke Ichimaru, launched a final counterattack on American troops. They no longer hoped for victory, but only wanted to die with honor, taking with them as many enemies as possible. The first point of the plan was almost completely fulfilled, and the second - only partially: in the night battle, 262 Japanese and 53 Americans were killed, 18 Japanese were taken prisoner.
Thus ended the 37-day battle for a small volcanic island with an area of only 23 square kilometers, which the Americans got at the cost of a lot of blood. 6,812 American soldiers and officers were buried in Iwo Jima, 21,835 were injured and shell-shocked. Japanese casualties have not been calculated with such precision, but based on the size of the garrison and the number of survivors, there were more than 20,000, including Korean workers who were building the fortifications.
Below is a selection of photographs taken by American war correspondents during and after the fighting on the island. Among them there are both well-known and quite rare shots.
Aerial view of Iwo Jima during the war. In the lower right corner is the extinct volcano Suribati. Particularly fierce battles were fought over this key height. In the center is a Japanese airfield with two crossed runways.
"Tennessee" - one of the American battleships, providing fire support to the landing on Iwo Jima.
First Roll: Marines disembark from landing barges.
Disembarkation zone. The ships of the American fleet and barges off the coast are clearly visible.
Attack of floating armored personnel carriers LVT-2.
The Marines lay down beside the damaged amphibian.
There are no shelters on the beach.
Didn't reach Suribati.
The first line is the ridge of the sand ridge.
Bridgehead.
Advanced first-aid post. The soldier on the front stretcher no longer needs donated blood.
Another did not survive.
Removing soldier tokens from corpses.
The shore has been cleared.
Unloading something in boxes. Judging by the weight, not ammunition.
In the hope of the mercy of the Almighty.
Former airfield.
The killed Japanese.
Howitzers and MLRS are working.
Sappers undermine the bunker.
Trophies.
"Sherman" with a twinkle.
Blown up by a land mine.
At the destroyed bunker with a 100 mm cannon. Left: Associated Press military photographer Joe Rosenthal.
Remains of Japanese fortification.
Laz into one of the many tunnels that dug through Mount Suribati and the stone tank is a false target.
Man's friend and foe: The service dog of the Marines sniffs out Japanese soldiers hiding underground.
A dug-in tank, which was used as a stationary firing point, and another reinforced concrete caponier with a heavy gun "opened" by the ship's artillery.
Destroyed tank "Chi-Ha".
Padded Sherman with improvised additional armor.
Keeper of the memory.
5th Marine Division.
