General Kuribayashi and the Japanese Strategy
General Kuribayashi was the Japanese commander of Iwo Jima. He was educated in Canada and was a well known aristocrat. Kuribayashi was best known for his innovative techniques used during the battle of Iwo JIma. His unique preparations, fortifications, and strategies made him an icon of warfare. The Japanese strategy was unique for three reasons. 1) The Japanese did not fight above ground level. They worked specifically under ground, making many miles of tunnels and rooms all throughout the battle. 2) The Japanese followed the rule "no Japanese survivors". Every Japanese soilder knew that it was their duty to die for their country and did not plan on survivng the battle. 3) Every Japanese soilder must have killed 10 American soilders before they were killed themselves. Because of these reasons, General Kuribatashi became a well known military commander in the history of warfare.
The Underground Battle System
Months prior to the Battle, the Japanese had already started to prepare their network of underground caves, bunkers, and tunnels. The Japanese knew that the best way to protect themselves from American forces was to completely fight from beneath the land and away from the navy forces of the sea. Therefore, many mining engineers were sent from Japan to draw blueprints for the underground fortifications. The blueprints consisted of various detailed tunnels of various levels and sizes to gaurentee good ventilation and to minimize the effect of bombs and other deadly explosives.
Besides building many miles of underground tunnels and caves, the Japanese also formed elaborate systems of concrete blockhouses and pillboxes. A blockhouse is a small concrete fort or bunker that serves as a defense mechanism to enimies because it is nearly impossible to breakdown without proper artillery or seige equipment. During the formation of the intricate underground system, the Japanese soon figured that the abundant amount of volcanic ash from the island could be converted into very durable concrete material. Soon after the Japanese discovered this, they had an advantage in building more sturdy underground systems, which protected them from the attacks of the US. |