The
Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945) was a major battle in which the
U.S. Marines landed on and eventually captured the island of
Iwo Jima from the
Japanese Imperial Army during
World War II. The American invasion, designated
Operation Detachment, had the goal of capturing the entire island, including the three Japanese-controlled airfields (including the
South Field and the
Central Field), to provide a staging area for attacks on the Japanese main islands. This five-week battle comprised some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of the
War in the Pacific of World War II.