The Iwo Jima Tunnels Sealed Since 1945 - Finally Opened

Video Description

On March 16th, 1945, Corporal James Mitchell watched engineers place demolition charges at a cave entrance on Iwo Jima. The explosion collapsed it completely. His squad moved on. They had 200 more caves to seal before the island was secure. For 79 years, that's how the story ended. Thousands of caves sealed. Thousands of Japanese soldiers buried inside. But recent exploration teams mapping Iwo Jima's underground network found something that changes everything we thought we knew. The tunnel system is massive. 18 kilometers. That's 11 miles of hand-carved tunnels connecting bunkers, command posts, hospitals, and fighting positions. General Kuribayashi designed it. He knew Japan would lose. But he could make Americans pay for every meter. Let them land. Then hit them from underground positions they can't see. Disappear back into the tunnels. Repeat. The strategy worked. Americans projected 5 days to take the island. It took 36 days. They expected 7,000 casualties. The actual number was 26,000. Nearly 7,000 Americans killed. 19,000 wounded. But here's the problem. When Americans sealed cave entrances throughout March, Japanese soldiers were using those tunnels for movement and supply. Sealing the entrances trapped defenders inside active tunnel systems. The official story says organized resistance ended March 26th. But Japanese soldiers kept emerging from caves through April and May. The last one surrendered in 1949. Four years after the battle ended. Modern exploration footage shows tool marks on walls where someone tried to dig. Scratches in volcanic rock. Evidence of digging near blocked passages. Someone was trying to get out. The tunnels show abandoned helmets, rifles, equipment. Carved alcoves that held personal items. These were functional military positions occupied by real soldiers who died slow deaths in darkness after Americans sealed them in. 🔔 Subscribe to WW2 Archives for more forgotten Pacific War stories 💬 Drop a comment and tell us where you're watching from ⚠️ Visual Disclaimer: The images in this video are used to help tell the story. They may not show the exact tunnels or individuals described. We're using historical photos and exploration footage to help you picture what happened. SOURCES & RESEARCH BATTLE TIMELINE: Defense strategy shift: June 1944 (General Kuribayashi arrives, abandons beach defense for underground network) Construction period: July 1944 – February 1945 (8 months of intensive digging) Flag raising (Mt. Suribachi): February 23, 1945 (D+4) Organized resistance ends: March 26, 1945 (D+35) Kuribayashi’s HQ cleared: 1950s (remained sealed/dangerous for years) DEFENSE NETWORK STATISTICS: Total tunnel length: ~11 miles (18 km) completed by invasion Planned length: ~17 miles (27 km) Garrison strength: ~21,000 Japanese troops Survival duration: 36 days without reinforcement, food, or water Depth: Major complexes 20–30 meters (65–100 ft) underground Levels: Up to 7 distinct subterranean levels in some sectors TUNNEL SPECIFICATIONS: Construction method: Hand-dug into soft volcanic rock (tuff) mixed with concrete reinforcement Typical entrance: 1.5 meters high, often angled at 45 degrees to deflect blast Internal features: Ventilation shafts, concrete command rooms, medical bays, shrines Conditions: Geothermal heat (120°F+ / 50°C+), sulfur gas, humidity, low oxygen Key locations: General Kuribayashi’s Command Cave (North), Mt. Suribachi (South), Naval HQ CASUALTIES & STRATEGIC IMPACT: US Marines/Navy casualties: ~26,000 (approx. 6,800 killed) Japanese casualties: ~21,000 killed (only ~200 captured during battle) Strategic value: Emergency landing site for B-29 bombers Lives saved: ~2,400 B-29s landed, saving approx. 27,000 aircrew members Sealing method: Bulldozers, flamethrowers, and demolition charges used to seal thousands of caves in 1945 SEALING & POST-WAR STATUS: Sealing technique: "Blowtorch and Corkscrew" (flamethrowers followed by explosives) Reason for sealing: To neutralize defenders without entering dangerous passages Modern access: Many tunnels remain sealed due to unexploded ordnance and geothermal danger Recent explorations: Select areas reopened for recovery of remains (JAPIA) and historical documentation #IwoJima #WWII #PacificWar #WW2 #MountSuribachi #USMC #JapaneseTunnels #MilitaryHistory #UndergroundWarfare #WarHistory