What were the casualties for Marines at Iwo Jima?

• A. 23,300
• B. 10,000
• C. 5,000
• D. 40,000

Answer: (A)

The key idea is recognizing the scale of losses sustained by Marines during the Iwo Jima campaign, counted as those killed in action and wounded in action. Iwo Jima produced extremely heavy casualties for the Marine Corps, with figures commonly cited around the mid-20,000s. The figure often given—about 23,300—captures the combined toll of killed and wounded Marines during the five-week battle (February 19 to March 26, 1945). The fighting was exceptionally intense in fortified caves and tunnels, under constant artillery and Japanese counterattacks, which explains why losses were so high.

Other provided numbers fall outside the typical Marines-only casualty estimates for this battle. Significantly higher numbers would overshoot the commonly cited Marine total, while much lower figures would underestimate the true cost of the assault. The 23,300 figure is a widely used estimate that reflects the actual impact on Marines during this brutal campaign.