1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: show that flies the flag of history every day of 4 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 1: the week. I'm Gabe Lucier, and in this episode, we're 5 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: talking about the story behind one of the most reproduced 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,319 Speaker 1: photographs in history, taken at the sight of one of 7 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: the bloodiest battles of World War II. The day was 8 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: February twenty third, nineteen forty five. During the Battle of 9 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: Iwo Jima, six marines planted the US flag at the 10 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: summit of Mount Suribachi. The scene was captured by photojournalist 11 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: Joe Rosenthal, who was covering the battle for the Associated Press. 12 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: He immediately sent the image to be pro processed in Guam, 13 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: and within two days it was published on the front 14 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: pages of newspapers all over the United States. The striking 15 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: photo sparked a wave of optimism among Americans, giving them 16 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: hope that the Pacific War might be nearing its end. 17 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: It's now considered one of the most recognized and perfectly 18 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: composed news photos of the twentieth century. But what many 19 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: people don't realize is that the flag shown in this 20 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: iconic image wasn't the first one to be raised on 21 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: ewa Jima that day. In early nineteen forty five, the 22 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: American Armed Forces were several years into their so called 23 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: island topping campaign. The goal was to retake the Pacific 24 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: by capturing various strategically important islands, thus cutting off Japanese 25 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: supply chains and allowing the US to gradually advance towards 26 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: the Japanese mainland, all without engaging in large, decisive battles. 27 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: Iwa Jima was one of the islands targeted, as its 28 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: position less than seven hundred miles southeast of Tokyo made 29 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: it an ideal site from which to launch an aerial assault. 30 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: Of course, Japanese forces recognized this utility as well, and 31 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,839 Speaker 1: they were determined to keep the tiny volcanic island from 32 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 1: falling into the hands of their enemies. Japanese troops spent 33 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: the better part of a year fortifying Ewajima against an 34 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: Allied invasion. They built hidden artillery positions far inland and 35 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: carved a network of tunnels into the mountain side, linking 36 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: together a series of reinforced underground bunkers. These fortifications were 37 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: meant to defend the island against any American soldiers who 38 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: dared to storm its black sand beaches, but Japan's first 39 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: line of defense was its Kamikazi bombers, who would attack 40 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: the American fleet before it could even land. On February nineteenth, 41 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: nineteen forty five, three US Marine divisions managed to breach 42 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: the island of Iwajima, only to find a heavily intrenched 43 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: garrison of twenty two thousand Japanese soldiers waiting for them. 44 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 1: The marine sustained heavy casualties over the next few days, 45 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 1: with much of the artillery fire raining down from the 46 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: summit of Mount Suribachi, a dormant volcano on the island's 47 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: southern tip. At a height of roughly five hundred and 48 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: fifty feet, it was the highest point on the island 49 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 1: and a perfect vantage point for laying down suppressive fire. 50 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: The Marines quickly realized that if they were to have 51 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: any hope of securing Iwajima, they would have to capture Suribachi. 52 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: But even though the island was only five miles long 53 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: and two and a half miles wide, it would take 54 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: them several days to work their way far enough inland 55 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: to reach the mountain's base. Finally, on February twenty third, 56 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: the men of the second Battalion, twenty eighth Marines succeeded 57 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:57,119 Speaker 1: in capturing Mount Suribachi, a forty man combat control led 58 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: by First Lieutenant Harold G. Schreyer, the first American unit 59 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: to reach the peak. They carried with them a US 60 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: flag borrowed from the USS Missula, a transport ship that 61 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: had delivered troops and cargo to Ewajima at the start 62 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: of the siege. Shreier had been ordered to raise the 63 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: flag if he should reach the top, and at about 64 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 1: ten thirty am local time, he and two other Marines 65 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: did exactly that. The triumphant moment was photographed by Staff 66 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: Sergeant Lewis Lowry, a photojournalist who was on assignment for 67 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: an Armed Forces magazine called leather Neck. The flag from 68 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: the Missula was the first to fly over Japanese home 69 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: territory in World War II, and the sight of it 70 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: set off a mass celebration among American forces. The hundreds 71 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: of ships surrounding Ewajima blew their horns and sirens in 72 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: triumph and battered. Marines all over the island cheered and 73 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: fired their guns into the air. Unfortunately, all the noise 74 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: drew the attention of Japanese soldiers near the peak, provoking 75 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: a firefight right beneath the flag. Sergeant Lowry dove for 76 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: cover and wound up smashing his camera in the process, 77 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: so when the fighting ceased, he went back down the 78 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: mountain to get some fresh equipment. Along the way, he 79 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: crossed pats with a fellow photojournalist, Joe Rosenthal, and two Marines, 80 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: Private first Class Bob Campbell, who was also a photographer, 81 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: and Sergeant William Jennost, who was a motion picture cameraman. 82 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 1: Lowry couldn't help but gloat, telling the men they had 83 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 1: missed the big moment and that the flag had already 84 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: been raised. Somewhat Deflated, the group decided to continue up 85 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:43,239 Speaker 1: anyway to enjoy the view. When once they reached the top, 86 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 1: they were thrilled to find that they might not have 87 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: missed their chance. After all. The first flag raising had 88 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: such a positive effect on troop morale, the Marine Corps 89 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: Lieutenant Colonel Chandler Johnson ordered a second, larger flag to 90 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,919 Speaker 1: be raised over the battlefield. That way, even the soldiers 91 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 1: on the northern side of sir Abachi would be able 92 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: to easily see it. The replacement flag was delivered by 93 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 1: a different transport ship, the uss LST seven seventy nine, 94 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: and it measured fifty six inches tall and ninety six 95 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 1: inches wide. A group of Marines was just about to 96 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: raise the second flag when Rosenthal, Campbell, and Genost reached 97 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 1: the peak. The AP photographer leaped into action and just 98 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: barely managed to capture the important moment using his speed 99 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: graphic camera. He didn't even have time to check the 100 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,679 Speaker 1: shot through the viewfinder. He just pointed, clicked, and hoped 101 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: for the best. You've no doubt seen the resulting image, 102 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: which shows six Marines struggling to hoist the heavy flagpole 103 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: into position. At least two of the men in the 104 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: photo were misidentified for decades after the war, but according 105 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: to recent research, the Marines pictured are Harlan Block, Harold Keller, I, 106 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: Arrah Hayes, Harold Schultz, Franklin Souslely, and Michael Strength. Tragically, Block, 107 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: sously and Strength would be killed in action in the 108 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: weeks ahead. The capture of Mount sur Abachi had secured 109 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: only the southern tip of Iwajima, and it would take 110 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: another month of combat for the Marines to take control 111 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: of the rest. By the time the fighting ended on 112 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: March twenty fourth, more than six thousand Americans had been 113 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: killed and roughly three times as many had been wounded. 114 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: The Japanese garrison, however, suffered even greater casualties, with only 115 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,679 Speaker 1: two hundred of the original twenty two thousand left alive. 116 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: During that time and for many years after, Joe Rosenthal 117 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: waged a very different kind of battle. His photo had 118 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: been seen by people all over the world, and was 119 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: even used in a highly successful ad campaign for war bonds, 120 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: helping to raise twenty six billion dollars in the final 121 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: months of the war. The famous photo was so inspiring 122 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,679 Speaker 1: and so visually striking that Rosenthal was awarded that year's 123 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: Pulitzer Prize for Photography. Normally, the prize board only considered 124 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: entries from the previous calendar year for the prizes, but 125 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: in Rosenthal's case, it made an exception, issuing the award 126 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: just a little over two months after the photo was taken. 127 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: Not everyone was a fan, however, Almost immediately after its publication, 128 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: many in the public, including Lewis Lowry, began to question 129 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: the legitimacy of Rosenthal's photo. Had he actually managed to 130 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 1: snap the picture from the perfect angle at the exact 131 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 1: right second, or had he staged the whole thing. The 132 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 1: question was settled easily enough thanks to the motion picture 133 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: footage shot by Sergeant William Jennost, but even with solid 134 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: proof that the photo had been taken in the heat 135 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,959 Speaker 1: of the moment, rumors continued to swirl for years after 136 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: it was released. Lowry and rosenthal Ball did eventually mend fences, 137 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: though with Lowry later confirming that the image which had 138 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:10,359 Speaker 1: supplanted his own was not posed in advance. Newly vindicated, 139 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 1: the photo continued to hold a grip on the American public, 140 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: so much so that nine years after World War II ended, 141 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,599 Speaker 1: it became the model for the Marine Corps War Memorial 142 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: in Arlington, Virginia. President Dwight D. Eisenhower dedicated the memorial 143 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 1: on November tenth, nineteen fifty four, the one hundred and 144 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: seventy ninth anniversary of the U. S. Marine Corps. The 145 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: bronze monument depicts six thirty two foot high figures raising 146 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: a real fabric flag attached to a sixty foot flagpole. 147 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 1: The flag flies twenty four hours a day three hundred 148 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: sixty five days a year by order of a presidential 149 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: proclamation from John f. Kennedy. Joe Rosenthal had quickly photographed 150 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 1: the Marines with no way of knowing how the image 151 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: would turn out. He realized its full significance on only 152 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: after it was developed. Less than two weeks later. He 153 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:07,199 Speaker 1: shared his conclusion in a statement for the Associated Press. 154 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: The Marine history, he wrote, will record Ewajima as high 155 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: as any in their many gallant actions in the Pacific. 156 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: I have two very vivid memories, the fury of their 157 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: D Day assault and the thrill of that lofty flag 158 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: raising episode. It is hard now, in the quiet atmosphere 159 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: of this advanced space, to find words for it. The 160 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: Marines at Ewajima were magnificent. I'm Gabe Lucier and hopefully 161 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: you now know a little more about history today than 162 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: you did yesterday. If you enjoyed today's episode, consider keeping 163 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: up with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at TDI 164 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: HC Show. You can also rate and review the show 165 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts, or you can get in touch directly 166 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: by writing to This Day at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks 167 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: to Chandler Mays for producing the show. Thank you for listening. 168 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: I'll see you back here again soon for another day 169 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: in History Class.