Part 2 of our American Rifleman TV feature series on the Pacific War focuses on Iwo Jima—one of the bloodiest and most notorious battles of the entire Pacific theater—as well some of the men and guns that made this American victory possible. The tiny black-sand island of Iwo Jima, though seemingly insignificant, was the closest the U.S. military had yet come to the Japanese mainland. As such, it was thought that its capture would enable bombers to strike Japan with greater ease; B29s would now have a closer staging area, as would the P-51s who covered them. The Japanese however, had other plans. Despite a fierce American naval bombardment, the Japanese utilized an intricate cave system to maintain their presence on the island, and met the Marines of the 3rd, 4th and 5th divisions with vicious resistance. To learn more about the men who pushed through to victory, their stories, and the tools they used, check out the above segment from American Rifleman TV.
Additional Reading:
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Pearl Harbor, Part 1
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Pearl Harbor, Part 2
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Saipan, Part 3
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Guam, Part 4
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Iwo Jima, Part 5
Remember Pearl Harbor: The Men and the Guns
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Iwo Jima, Part 2
More like this from around the NRA
Latest
Hopkins & Allen: The Armsmaking Giant That Didn't Survive
Founded in 1868 in the northeast U.S., Hopkins & Allen grew from a friendly business venture into a prolific maker of affordable guns for brand names such as Merwin & Hulbert and Forehand & Wadsworth.
Burris Optics Celebrates 50 Years Of Fullfield Riflescopes
Firearms and ammunition ballistics have changed greatly over the last half-century, but one of the biggest leaps in performance hit the scene five decades ago, when Burris Optics introduced its Fullfield line of riflesopes.
I Have This Old Gun: Heckler & Koch P7
In the mid-1970s, the German federal police sought a replacement for its existing World War II-era sidearms and put out stringent guidelines for what it wanted in a handgun. The result was the Heckler & Koch P7.
New For 2025: Smith & Wesson Shield X
Smith & Wesson's new Shield X micro-compact handgun combines elements from the company's M&P Shield Plus with some cues from its smaller Bodyguard 2.0 design.
Review: Tisas PX-5.7 FO
The idea that a faster-moving, lightweight projectile can do the same work as a heavier, slower-moving slug has been around for ages, and the math clearly supports it, even if some in the general public don’t.
NRA Awards Grand Scholarships To 2024 Y.E.S. Students
The Y.E.S. program—which launched in 1996—is held each summer in Washington, D.C., and brings together high-achieving high school students from across the country for a week of immersive learning focused on the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights and American government.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
