The Battle of Iwo Jima: Part 2
independent historians specialising in military disasters and command failures
World War IITactics & Battles
Pick · Edition 2026-05-15
Lions Led By Donkeys continues its Iwo Jima series with this 84-minute second part, which presumably covers the grinding advance north through Kuribayashi's defence-in-depth after the initial landings. The show's signature irreverent tone doesn't undercut the operational detail — the LLbD team tends to be strongest on exactly the kind of attritional horror that defined Iwo. At this length and on this topic, it earns its runtime.
🎙 Veterans' accounts
The Library of Congress Veterans History Project holds 100+ interviews with World War II veterans including Iwo Jima participants — searchable at loc.gov/vets (single-source — see provenance)⚖ The debate
Was the extraordinarily high casualty toll at Iwo Jima justified by its strategic value as an airbase and stepping stone to Japan? Some historians argue the island's capture was essential for B-29 operations and island-hopping strategy; others contend the cost in American lives was disproportionate to the actual tactical benefit gained. (single-source — see provenance)Claims on this page verified against current sources · last refreshed 2026-06-11
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