The Pacific War before Iwo Jima
1944
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15 June |
US Marines invade Saipan in the Mariana Islands. |
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15/16 June |
The first bombing raid against Japan since April 1942. |
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19 June |
Climax of the ‘Marianas Turkey Shoot’ when US carrier-based fighters shoot down 220 Japanese planes; only 20 American planes are lost. |
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8 July |
Japanese troops withdraw from Imphal. |
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19–27 July |
US Marines invade Guam in the Marianas. |
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24 July |
US Marines invade Tinian. |
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8 August |
US troops complete the capture of the Mariana Islands. |
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15 September |
US troops invade Morotai and the Paulaus. |
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20 October |
US Sixth Army invades Leyte in the Philippines. |
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23–26 October |
The Battle of Leyte Gulf results in a decisive US Navy victory. |
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25 October |
First suicide air (Kamikaze) attacks made against US warships around Leyte. |
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11 November |
Iwo Jima bombarded by the US Navy. |
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15 December |
US troops invade Mindoro in the Philippines. |
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17 December |
US Army Air Force establishes 509th Composite Group and it starts practising how to drop an atomic bomb. |
1945
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3 January |
General MacArthur is placed in command of all US ground forces and Admiral Nimitz in command of all naval forces ready to assault Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Japan. |
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9 January |
US Sixth Army invades Lingayen Gulf on Luzon in the Philippines. |
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3 February |
US Sixth Army enters Manila. |
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16 February |
US troops recapture Bataan in the Philippines. |
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19 February |
V Amphibious Corps invade Iwo Jima. |
The Battle for Iwo Jima
1945
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19 February |
4th and 5th Marine Divisions land on Iwo Jima’s southwest shore. Mount Suribachi is isolated and parts of Airfield 1 are captured; 30,000 Marines are ashore by nightfall. |
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21 February |
4th Division clear Airfield 1. Japanese make Kamikaze attacks against the fleet off the coast of Iwo Jima; carrier Bismark Sea sunk and carrier Saratoga damaged. |
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23 February |
Marines reach the top of Mount Suribachi and raise the Stars and Stripes. |
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24–28 February |
5th Division advance along the north coast towards Hill 362-A. |
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3rd Division cross Airfield 2 and take Hill Peter and Hill 199-0. |
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4th Division encounter the Meat Grinder near Minami village. |
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1–5 March |
5th Division capture Hill 362-A and Nishi and advance towards Kita. |
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3rd Division seize Airfield 3 and Hill 357. |
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4th Division encounter the Meat Grinder near Minami village. |
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4 March |
The first B29, Dinah Might, makes an emergency landing on the island. |
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6–10 March |
5th Division capture Kita and Hill 362-B and then close in on Kitano Gorge. |
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3rd Division capture Hill 362-C and advance rapidly to the east coast. |
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4th Division seize Higashi village but cannot take the Meat Grinder. |
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11–16 March |
5th Division close in on Kitano Gorge in the north of the island. |
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3rd Division clear Cushman’s Pocket east of Motoyama village. |
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4th Division clear organised resistance south of Higashi. |
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17–24 March |
5th Division clear the final pocket of resistance in Kitano Gorge. |
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3rd Division search tunnels and caves across the island. |
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26 March |
Operation Detachment declared complete after 35 days; General Schmidt and V Amphibious Corps leave the island. |
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12 April |
The last Marine units leave Iwo Jima. |
The Pacific War after Iwo Jima
1945
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3 March |
The fall of Manila in the Philippines. |
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10 March |
US Eighth Army invades Mindanao in the Philippines. |
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1 April |
US Tenth Army invades Okinawa. |
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7 April |
P-51 Mustangs based on Iwo Jima escort B-29s over Japan for the first time. |
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12 April |
President Roosevelt dies; he is succeeded by Harry S. Truman. |
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8 May |
Victory in Europe Day. |
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25 May |
US Joint Chiefs of Staff approve Operation Olympic, the invasion of Japan, scheduled for 1 November. |
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9 June |
Japanese Premier Suzuki announces Japan will fight to the end. |
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18 June |
Japanese resistance ends on Mindanao in the Philippines. |
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22 June |
Japanese resistance ends on Okinawa. |
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10 July |
1000 bomber raids begin against Japan. |
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14 July |
The first US Navy bombardment of the Japanese home islands. |
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16 July |
First atomic bomb successfully tested in the United States. |
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26 July |
Atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ delivered to Tinian Island in the South Pacific. |
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6 August |
First atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. |
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8 August |
USSR declares war on Japan and then invades Manchuria. |
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9 August |
Second atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki; Emperor Hirohito and Japanese Prime Minister Suzuki decide to seek an immediate peace. |
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14 August |
Japanese accept unconditional surrender. |
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29 August |
US troops land near Tokyo. |
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2 September |
Formal Japanese surrender ceremony on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. |
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8 September |
General MacArthur enters Tokyo. |