The Battle of Iwo Jima: Part 3
independent historians specialising in military disasters and command failures
World War IITactics & Battles
Essential · Edition 2026-05-22
Lions Led By Donkeys concludes their Iwo Jima series with a long-form episode — 85 minutes on one of the Pacific War's most brutal engagements. The show's trademark irreverence is balanced by genuine attention to the operational horror of the campaign, and at this length there's room to go beyond the flag-raising mythology into the grinding reality of the battle. Worth hearing alongside the WHWOMYT Bruneval episodes for a week heavy on tactical content.
🎙 Veterans' accounts
Library of Congress Veterans History Project holds 100+ interviews with World War II Pacific Theater veterans including Iwo Jima participants — searchable at loc.gov/vets (single-source — see provenance)⚖ The debate
Was the invasion of Iwo Jima strategically justified given its horrific casualty rate and limited operational payoff? Critics argue the island's value as an airbase was overstated and the cost in American lives unjustifiable; defenders contend it was operationally necessary for B-29 operations and emergency landings in the final push toward Japan. (single-source — see provenance)Claims on this page verified against current sources · last refreshed 2026-06-11
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