Quote:
Originally Posted by GenjiChan
Those soldiers were basically fighting for their very existence... That's why they have to fight (add the brain washing from their commanders).
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You mean Iwo Jima? It's hard to say they were fighting for their existence... there was really no doubt from the very beginning that the IJA would lose Iwo Jima, and both sides knew it. The Japanese could not reinforce their position nor retreat, and they were so outnumbered there was no plausible way for them to win.
Being the first of Japan's home territory to be invaded however, as far as the IJA was concerned they were honor-bound to defend it to the last man, and they almost did. Their other goal was to try to inflict so much casualty that the Allies would decide against invading the Japanese mainlands. Ironically they did achieve this goal in the end with their efforts culminating in Okinawa, though I'd say it was not in a manner they expected.