The Battle of Iwo Jima began on February 19, 1945, when U.S. Marines and Navy forces invaded the heavily fortified island as part of World War II, facing intense resistance from Japanese troops entrenched in tunnels and bunkers carved into volcanic rock. Fought about 750 miles from Japan, the five-week battle became one of the bloodiest of the war, with nearly 7,000 U.S. Marines killed and more than 20,000 wounded before the island was secured in late March. Despite extreme conditions and fierce opposition, the Marines captured key airfields, and the iconic raising of the U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi on February 23 became a lasting symbol of courage and sacrifice, while today Iwo Jima stands as a place of remembrance and reconciliation between former enemies.

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