The Island of Iwo Jima
The Island of Iwo Jima is a small island that is about 810 miles off the coast of Japan. It is part of the Japanese "Volcano Islands" south of the Ogasawara Islands. It was not a major island before the world war, but when the second world war had started it became a strategic advantage point that both sides needed. The United States needed the island for the convenience, and because the long flight across the pacific ocean for planes was too much, so they needed a rest site. Also the island was closer to Japan than any United States base, yet it was still a safe distance away to avoid ambush attacks, along with the distance the height of the mountain was also advantageous to scouting out approaching ships and air planes. For the Japanese this island was important because it was good for scouting out bomber planes from the United States approaching the Japanese country. Once a plane was spotted it was then reported to the Japan government who then readied themselves to shoot down the plane by intercepting it or by using a martyr.
The Japanese would not let this invasion take place without a fight, they believed that if they kept fighting hard and strong then the United States would see no point in working so hard for a small island. They were wrong, the island meant more to the United States than the Japanese people had thought, costing thousands of lives on both sides. Though the United States was victorious, it was the United States that had lost the most people in the battle. It is the only battle known where the United States losses shadowed over the losses of the opposing side. This battle was one of the bloodiest in the Pacific Ocean area of World War 2; The Battle of Iwo Jima.