10 things you didn't know about one of the Marine Corps' most ferocious battles: Iwo Jima

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Iwo Jima stands out as one of the most intense of the many fierce battles the US Marine Corps has fought in 200-year history.

The battle for the speck of volcanic rock in the Pacific in the final months of World War II took an enormous toll on its Japanese defenders and the invading Marines, whose conduct during the five-week fight is part of the Corps' lore.

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The Marines will be the first to tell you they have "fought in every clime and place" from the "halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli."

The history of the Corps is steeped in legendary heroism and ferocious battles. From Chapultepec to Belleau Wood to Fallujah, the Marines have made a name for themselves throughout our country's history.

But there is one battle that stands out. Iwo Jima.

Ask any Marine about Iwo Jima, and you will see instant reverence in their eyes. "Uncommon valor was a common virtue" was the phrase used to describe the spirit of the men that fought that battle.

The landing on Iwo Jima took place 75 years ago Wednesday. Located about 750 miles from mainland Japan, Iwo Jima was a volcanic rock that both sides viewed as an important objective of the American's island-hopping campaign. For the Americans, the airfields there meant both easier and shorter routes to mainland Japan as well as helping clear the air of fighters that would intercept such bombers.

The Japanese simply knew that the capture of Iwo put the Americans one step closer to their homeland.

What followed next was one of the most ferocious battles man has ever waged.

Much has been written about the battle and its effect on history. Here are some of the more interesting things about the battle of Iwo Jima.1. Iwo Jima was first discovered by Spanish explorers.

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In 1543, a ship located the island and landed to explore the newly found land. They gave it the name "Sulphur Island."

When translated roughly to Japanese, it was called Io To, or Iwo Jima. The Japanese didn't arrive at the island until the end of the 16th century.

2. The Japanese knew they were going to lose the battle.

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As historians poured over Japanese war records after the war was over, they found that the Japanese knew the battle was a sure loss. The Japanese Imperial Navy was all but vanquished in the Pacific. The Japanese Air Force was almost obliterated as well. The Japanese had lost quite a few planes and had to keep as many as close to their mainland as possible.

Even worse than the lack of planes was a shortage of pilots. The Americans would send experienced pilots back home to train more pilots. The Japanese didn't do that. They kept their experienced pilots out, and as they suffered heavy losses, there was a shortfall in experience and numbers.

As a result, the Japanese changed the strategy of the defense of the island to be one of attrition. They figured the Americans would win. They just wanted to make them pay dearly for it.

Hideki Tojo, the prime minister of Japan, summoned Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi to his office and told him to defend Iwo Jima to the last man as a means to buy time. Kuribayashi, who came from a Samurai family, accepted the mission and set off for the island to set up a unique defense that the Americans had not seen yet.

3. The Japanese wanted to dissuade the Americans from attacking the mainland.

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Kuribayashi changed the way the island would be defended. Instead of fighting the Americans on the beaches, he would allow them to land uncontested on the island.

He knew the black volcanic sand, which had dunes up to 15 feet tall, could bog down the Americans, so he figured to let them all on before opening fire. He had the beach zeroed in by artillery and mortars to the last inch.

On the island's interior, he set up defensive positions in a new way. The fortifications and tunnels allowed the Japanese soldiers to retake positions that had already been overrun. On an island that was just 8 square miles, there were over 11 miles of tunnels the Japanese could use.

The intended effect was to inflict as much damage as possible to the American forces. By dragging out this conflict and inflicting casualties, the Japanese hoped that the carnage would dissuade the US from attacking the Japanese mainland.

See the rest of the story at Business InsiderSee Also:How the US's massive bombardment of Iwo Jima made it even tougher to capture the island from the JapaneseRarely seen footage from the battle of Iwo Jima reveals more about the US troops who fought and died thereHow the Navy's boatswain's mates get the USS Bataan into and out of ports around the worldSEE ALSO: 75 years ago, the Allies launched an ambitious but ill-fated plan to end WWII here are 6 things you didn't know about Operation Market Garden

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