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Life on Iwo Jima
Personal Photo By: Andrew Bosko
Here is a picture of my grandfather standing on Iwo Jima with Mt. Suribachi in the distance. This picture was taken once the island was under the American’s control. Once captured, American’s used research and the POWs to gain knowledge of the island. Before the war was over one young 21 year old Japanese POW gave the American’s a detailed picture of what went into building Iwo Jima. The famous tunnels dug throughout Mt. Suribachi “[were] started in July 1944, when air raids became frequent and each respective unit built its own”. Before taken by the Japanese Army, Iwo Jima belonged to 1,000 Japanese Civilians. The army had them evacuated to Japan in the middle of 1944. “The island was under direct jurisdiction of Tokyo.” It was much like the average town; “there was a police station and a post office” along with crops that the people would live off of”. They were able to grow items such as carrots, tomatoes, pumpkins, bananas, lemons, and much more. When the army shipped off the civilians they lived off of the crops left behind by the islanders. Supplies soon ran out in the hot months of June and July due to the extreme weather and being neglected by the army. In the beginning of Iwo Jima as an army base, the Japanese were sure to hold the island strong, but when asked by the Americans at the time of interrogation (remember the war wasn’t over) who he though would hold Iwo in the end “the Jap replied, ‘The United States will win because of its material strengthened superior weapons’.”
“Jap Who Lived on Iwo Talks: 21-Year Old Youth Makes Revealing Statements,” Fighter Post, October 13,1945, 2.
Life on Iwo Jima
Personal Photo By: Andrew Bosko
Here is a picture of my grandfather standing on Iwo Jima with Mt. Suribachi in the distance. This picture was taken once the island was under the American’s control. Once captured, American’s used research and the POWs to gain knowledge of the island. Before the war was over one young 21 year old Japanese POW gave the American’s a detailed picture of what went into building Iwo Jima. The famous tunnels dug throughout Mt. Suribachi “[were] started in July 1944, when air raids became frequent and each respective unit built its own”. Before taken by the Japanese Army, Iwo Jima belonged to 1,000 Japanese Civilians. The army had them evacuated to Japan in the middle of 1944. “The island was under direct jurisdiction of Tokyo.” It was much like the average town; “there was a police station and a post office” along with crops that the people would live off of”. They were able to grow items such as carrots, tomatoes, pumpkins, bananas, lemons, and much more. When the army shipped off the civilians they lived off of the crops left behind by the islanders. Supplies soon ran out in the hot months of June and July due to the extreme weather and being neglected by the army. In the beginning of Iwo Jima as an army base, the Japanese were sure to hold the island strong, but when asked by the Americans at the time of interrogation (remember the war wasn’t over) who he though would hold Iwo in the end “the Jap replied, ‘The United States will win because of its material strengthened superior weapons’.”
“Jap Who Lived on Iwo Talks: 21-Year Old Youth Makes Revealing Statements,” Fighter Post, October 13,1945, 2.