What is the Significance of Iwo Jima?

Answer 1

Iwo Jima, which means "Sulfur Island," was strategically important as an air base for fighter escorts supporting long-range bombing missions against mainland Japan.

In other take off the legs of a cheetah how will he catch his prey. If and when America took/take control of Iwo Jima we can provide a emergency landing strip for crippled B-29's returning from bombing runs. Also it would provide the ability to conduct intensive air bombardment and to destroy the enemy's air and naval capabilities.

To the Japanese leadership, the capture of Iwo Jima meant the battle for Okinawa, and the invasion of Japan itself, was not far off.

Answer 2

The landing on Iwo Jima gave the Army Air Force an emergency landing strip for the far ranging B-29's. After the capture larger runways were constructed and it became a base for the bombers which now closed the range they had to fly. This base was the starting point for the Enola Gay and Bocks Car.

Answer 3

Iwo Jima gave Japan a two hour warning of U.S. B-29 raids from the Mariana Islands and provided a fighter base for the harassment of U.S. bombers. To reverse this situation and afford a haven for crippled American aircraft, the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed that Iwo Jima be seized.

Answer 4

Aircrews flying bombing missions to Japan needed Iwo Jima (Sulpur Island) as a strategic emergency landing area for returning bomber crews. Additionally, The Japanese fighters that were operating out of Iwo Jima were a problem to the B-29 crews both outbound and inbound to Japan from their bases on Tinian etc!

Later on, a post-war analysis found that the actual utility of the island (and the threat it posed) were far below the cost required to capture the island; in particular, the Japanese fighters based on Iwo Jima were of no real threat to the bombers, and that owning the Iwo Jima airfields was mostly useless (very, very few bombers landed there, and no fighter escorts for the bombers flew out). That is, in hindsight, the invasion of Iwo Jima was an unnecessary one, and it could easily have been bypassed. While not specifically faulting U.S. strategy of the time (after all this was in hindsight), the analysis made the point that the invasion really was an optional decision, not a necessary one.

Answer 5

The Battle of Iwo Jima was important because it was an air base for fighter escorts. Iwo Jima could be used as an emergency landing strip for the fighter escorts.

Answer 6

The Americans fought for the whole island and were successful.

Answer 7

Well Iwo Jima is an island that had two airfields (Japanese) and mountain with a view of the whole island, Mt. Suribachi. We wanted those airfields so we took it thats all i know about it.