Iwo Jima

This is possibly one of the most famous pictures in American history. It is a picture of American soliders raising our flag after the battle of Iwo Jima. I decided on this picture because it was one of the first that came to my mind because it symbolized a huge accomplishment in WWII, giving hope to American citizens and other soldiers at that time.

The battle took place in late February of 1945, lasting 36 days. It was a series of sea and air battle and bombings, eventually resulting in an American victory. 6,891 American Marines were killed. Of the 22,000 Japanese defending themselves, only 1,083 managed to survive. Although we won, it made the military realize how far the Japanese are willing to go to defend their country, leading to the decision later that year to drop the atomic bombs.

This particular picture was taken sometime around 1:00 PM of February 23rd by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal on top of Suribachi. It was later formed into a bronze statue located in DC and dedicated to all Marines on November 19, 1954.