| The raising of the American flag in Iwo Jima is | | | | emergency landing for long-range bombers |
| one of the most enduring historical events in U.S. | | | | damaged during their attack. This was a big help in |
| history because it was immortalized in a | | | | saving many pilots' lives. |
| Pulitzer-winning photograph. The photograph | | | | The capture of Iwo Jima was not easy for the |
| showed six soldiers belonging to the marine corps | | | | invading American soldiers because it was heavily |
| and navy corpsman who raised the emblem on | | | | fortified. The marines secured Mt. Suribachi first |
| top of Mt. Suribachi in 1945, at the start of the | | | | because it was strategically important for the |
| campaign to stop the Japanese forces from their | | | | island. It could serve as a vantage point for |
| world-domination plan. | | | | anyone holding the location. Securing Mt. Suribachi |
| Iwo Jima played an important role in the Japanese | | | | after four days did not end the battle in Iwo Jima. |
| campaign because the island served as the early | | | | It continued to rage for another 26 days, killing so |
| warning location for the Japanese military. The | | | | many Americans and Japanese in the process. |
| island is located between Japan and the Mariana | | | | For the Americans, winning was strategically |
| Islands where the long-range bombers belonging | | | | important. For the Japanese, holding on to the |
| to America were located. Before its capture, the | | | | island was a matter of pride. In the end, the allied |
| Japanese could easily spot bombers from Mariana | | | | soldiers succeeded in invading the first Japanese |
| and immediately report them to their homeland. | | | | territory. |
| After it was captured, the island served as the | | | | |