Title : Letters for Iwo Jima
Genre : Non friction / Historical
Category : Japanese Movie
Synopsis :
In 2005, Japanese archaeologists
explore tunnels on Iwo Jima, where they find something in the
dirt.
The scene changes to
Iwo Jima
in 1944. Private First
Class Saigo, a
baker conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army, and his platoon are grudgingly digging beach trenches on the
island. Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Tadamichi
Kuribayashi arrives to
take command of the garrison and immediately begins an inspection
of the island defenses. He saves Saigo and his friend Kashiwara
from a beating by Captain Tanida for 'unpatriotic speeches', and
orders the men to begin tunnelling defenses into Mount
Suribachi. Kuribayashi
and Lieutenant Colonel Baron Takeichi Nishi, a famous Olympic gold medalist show
jumper, clash with some of
their seniors, who do not agree with Kuribayashi's strategy:
Kuribayashi believes the US will take the beaches quickly, and only
the mountain defenses will have a better chance for holding
out.
Poor nutrition and unsanitary
conditions take their toll; many die of dysentery, including Kashiwara. The troops begin using the
caves. Kashiwara's replacement, Superior
Private Shimizu, arrives
for duty. Saigo suspects that Shimizu is a spy from
Kempeitai
to report on disloyal
soldiers.
The first American bombings occur,
causing significant casualties. A few days later, U.S. Marines land. The American troops suffer heavy
casualties, but the beach defenses are quickly overcome, and the
attack turns to the positions on Mount Suribachi. While delivering a request for more machine
guns from his commander to the Suribachi garrison, Saigo overhears
Kuribayashi radioing orders to retreat. The commander, however,
ignores the general and instead orders his company to commit
suicide. Saigo runs away with Shimizu, convincing him to continue
the fight rather than die. They find two other soldiers, but one
gets incinerated by an American flamethrower, and they witness a
captured Marine being bayoneted to death.
Saigo and the soldiers in Mount
Suribachi try to flee with Lieutenant Oiso at night, but they run
into Marines, who wipe out all except Saigo and Shimizu. They flee
to friendly lines, but are accused by Lieutenant Ito of
betraying bushido
by surviving a defeat. Ito raises
his katana
to execute them for cowardice, but
Kuribayashi arrives and saves Saigo again by confirming his order
to retreat.
The Japanese soldiers attempt a
futile attack against US positions, but take heavy losses. The
survivors are told to regroup with Colonel Nishi. Ito heads to the
US lines with three mines, intending to throw himself under a tank.
The next morning, Okubo, Nishi's executive officer, shoots a
Marine, who is subsequently captured. Despite Colonel Nishi's
attempts to treat his wounds, the American dies within hours. Nishi
finds a letter from the American's mother and reads it to his men.
As a bomb hits the cave later on, Nishi is blinded. He orders his
men to another position and orders Lieutenant Okubo to leave him a
rifle. Upon leaving, the soldiers hear a gunshot from Nishi's
cave.
Saigo suggests surrender, and
Shimizu reveals that he was dishonorably discharged from the
Kempeitai
because he refused to kill a dog for
his superior, who was simply annoyed by its barking. Shimizu and
another soldier attempt to flee, but Lieutenant Okubo shoots the
other soldier, while Shimizu escapes. Shimizu surrenders to a
patrol and finds himself with another POW. The patrol moves on,
leaving them with two Marines, but one of the guards cold-bloodedly
shoots them. The dead soldiers are found by Okubo who uses it as a
lesson against surrender. Weeping, Saigo wraps Shimizu's
senninbari
over his corpse.
Meanwhile, Ito, desperate and
malnourished, breaks down and, when found, surrenders. Saigo and
the survivors find the cave is under attack, and a fierce battle
rages. While running across a crossfire point, they lose several
men, including Okubo. They rendezvous with General Kuribayashi, and
one last attack is planned. Kuribayashi orders Saigo stay behind
and burn all documents and letters, including his own letters,
saving Saigo's life a final time.
Attired as a common infantryman,
Kuribayashi launches a final charge at the head of his surviving
soldiers. Almost all are killed, and Kuribayashi is mortally
wounded. The general's loyal adjutant Fujita drags him away. The next morning,
Kuribayashi asks for himself to be beheaded. As a weeping Fujita
raises his katana to behead Kurabayashi, he is shot dead by an
American sniper.
Saigo arrives, having buried some of the documents and letters
instead of burning them all. The dying general orders Saigo to bury
him where the Americans will never find his body. The General draws
his M1911
– a gift from an American officer
(Mark
Moses) before the war –
and commits suicide. In tears, Saigo drags Kurabayashi's body away
for burial.
Later, a US patrol find Fujita's
body. A Marine Lieutenant finds Kuribayashi's pistol and tucks it
under his belt. They search the area and find Saigo with his
shovel. Seeing the General's pistol in an enemy's possession, an
enraged Saigo attacks the Americans with his shovel. Too weak to
fight properly, he is knocked unconscious and taken to the
POW
beach. Awakening, he glimpses the
setting sun and smiles grimly.
The film ends with modern
archaeologists uncovering the letters and documents that Private
Saigo buried in 1945.
My Rating: 
My Review: The story of the battle of Iwo
Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War
II, as told from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it. I
probably need to watch it a second time to comprehend the movie
better
