To the Shores of Iwo Jima

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To The Shores of Iwo Jima was a 1945 short war film produced by the US Navy and Marine Corp. It documents the Battle of Iwo Jima, and was the first time that American audiences saw in color the footage of the famous flag raising on Iwo Jima.

The film follows the servicemen through the battle in rough chronological order, from the bombardment of the island by ships and airplanes to the final breakdown of resistance, though, after it shows the taking of Suribachi, it then switches to the footage of the second flag raising.

The film ends by acknowledging the 4,000 who had died in the month-long battle, and tells the audience that their deaths weren't in vain, showing a bomber aircraft taking off of the island for a mission over Japan.

Four cameramen, including Bill Genaust, who shot the the famous flag raising sequence, died bringing this footage to the public. Ten were wounded.