_LtGen Tadamichi Kuribayashi, Imperial Japanese Army._]
Kuribayashi, 53, a native of Nagano Prefecture, had served the Emperor
as a cavalry officer since graduating from the Military Academy in
1914. He spent several years as a junior officer posted to the Japanese
Embassies in America and Canada. With the advent of war in Asia,
Kuribayashi commanded a cavalry regiment in combat in Manchuria and
a brigade in northern China. Later, he served as chief of staff of
the _Twenty-third Army_ during the capture of Hong Kong. Favored by
the Emperor, he returned from China to command the _Imperial Guards
Division_ in Tokyo. After the fall of Saipan in June 1944, he was
assigned to command the defensive fortress of Iwo Jima.
Kuribayashi was a realist. He saw Iwo Jima’s crude airstrips as a net
liability to the Empire, at best providing nuisance raids against the
B-29s, certain to draw the attention of American strategic planners.
Iwo Jima’s airfields in American hands would pose an enormous threat
to Japan. Kuribayashi saw only two options: either blow up the entire
island, which proved infeasible, or defend it to the death. To do the
latter effectively he adapted a radical defensive policy, foregoing
the water’s-edge linear tactics and suicidal _Banzai_ attacks of
previous island battles. This stirred controversy at the highest
levels--Imperial Headquarters even asked the Nazis for advice on
repelling American invasions--as well as among Kuribayashi’s own
officers. Kuribayashi made some compromises with the semi-independent
naval forces on the island, but sacked 18 senior army officers,
including his own chief of staff. Those who remained would implement
their commander’s policy to the letter.
Doomed without naval or air support, Kuribayashi nevertheless proved
to be a resolute and resourceful field commander. His only tactical
error was to authorize the sector commander to engage the U.S. task
force covering underwater demolitions team operations on D-2. This
became a gift to the attackers, for it revealed to American gunners the
previously masked batteries which otherwise would have slaughtered the
assault waves on D-day.
Japanese accounts indicate Kuribayashi committed _hara-kari_, the
Japanese ritual suicide, in his cave near Kitano Point on 23 March
1945, the 33d day of the battle. “Of all our adversaries in the
Pacific,” said General Holland M. Smith, USMC, “Kuribayashi was the
most redoubtable.” Said another Marine, “Let’s hope the Japs don’t have
any more like him.”
]
_D-Day_
Weather conditions around Iwo Jima on D-day morning, 19 February 1945,
were almost ideal. At 0645 Admiral Turner signalled “Land the landing
force!”
[Illustration: _From the Japanese position overlooking the landing
beaches and Airfield No. 1, the enemy observers had an unobstructed
view of the entire beachhead. From a field sketch by Cpl Daniel L.
Winsor, Jr., USMCR, S-2, 25th Marines._
Marine Corps Historical Collection
]
Shore bombardment ships did not hesitate to engage the enemy island
at near point-blank range. Battleships and cruisers steamed as close
as 2,000 yards to level their guns against island targets. Many of
the “Old Battleships” had performed this dangerous mission in all
theaters of the war. Marines came to recognize and appreciate their
contributions. It seemed fitting that the old _Nevada_, raised from the
muck and ruin of Pearl Harbor, should lead the bombardment force close
ashore. Marines also admired the battleship _Arkansas_, built in 1912,
and recently returned from the Atlantic where she had battered German
positions at Point du Hoc at Normandy during the epic Allied landing on
6 June 1944.
[Illustration: