On the small Island of Iwo Jima in the Ogasawara Archipelago of Japan in 2005, a team of Japanese
archaeologists surveyed the ruined tunnels left alone after the war.
One of the men finds something valuable in the dirt, prompting the rest to dig it out.
Sometime in 1944, during the thick of World War II, Private First Class Saigo, a baker
turned soldier, and Private First Class Kashiwara are digging beach trenches with their platoon
while discussing their hardships.
After Saito makes an unpatriotic comment, Captain Tanada notices the pair and prepares
to administer punishment.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, a Japanese officer who studied in the United
States, arrives to assume command of the entire garrison.
After meeting the welcome party, he walks to the beaches near Mount Suribachi.
He sees the two private officers beaten by Captain Tanida, asking him to punish his men
by withholding rations instead of using brute force.
He then orders the unit to halt their tasks and take a proper break.
At sunset, the weary soldiers enjoy a cup of rice and weed soup as they gossip about
their new commanding officer.
Later at night, he is informed by Lieutenant Ito that their air support has dwindled in
number, having sent 66 planes to aid in the battle in Saipan.
He checks the defense plan and becomes dissatisfied, ordering Suribachi to be fortified by moving
the artillery to higher ground.
At the same time, the unit coordinates the attack with Colonel Adachi's Army.
The following day, Saigo mails a letter to his wife when the officer-in-charge points
out the flaws in his words and corrects them to pass inspection.
Later, he is reprimanded by Captain Tanada for his terrible aim during target practice
and ordered to clean the entire company's boots.
Meanwhile, during marching exercises, Lt. Col. Kuribayashi is stunned that the decommissioned
tanks are yet to be repaired due to a lack of replacement parts.
He sees a boy drawing on the sidewalk, making him remember his time writing letters for
his family while he stayed in America.
Later, while surveying the beach, he becomes overjoyed to see his friend, Olympic gold
medalist Lieutenant Colonel Baron Takeichi Nishi, and his prized horse join the regiment.
At supper, they discuss updates on the war effort, with Nishi informing Kuribayashi they
have lost the fight in the Mariana Islands with the destruction of Admiral Ozawa's carrier
and planes, crippling the last division of the Imperials' Combined Fleet.
Later, at sunset, Saigo and the private officers become amused as they watch Kuribayashi and
Lt. Fujita demonstrate how an American fighter will act against a Japanese soldier.
The next day, after mulling it over, Kuribayashi instructs the men to forgo the beach trenches
and focus all their manpower on digging tunnel-like caves as their new defensive strategy against
the upcoming invasion.
The commanding officers protest, believing they must fight head-on.
Still, the Lt. Col. tells them that Japan cannot send any more reinforcements, so they
must go at it alone.
Some days pass as many soldiers on the island succumbed to dysentery due to poor nutrition
and unsanitary conditions.
A few replacement troops arrive to fill the empty ranks of the 312th regiment, including
Superior Private Shimizu, a military policeman from Tokyo.
He meets Private Nozaki and an unenthusiastic Saigo, who has been dealing with losing his
closest friend, Kashiwara.
While he settles, the two privates share their suspicions of him spying on disloyal soldiers.
Saigo later clarifies at lunch that he has always felt hatred for the Military Police
after they habitually ransack his home for their baked goods, eventually exhausting their
supply of bread.
His mind wanders to the time he was given a letter to conscript for the war, much to
the dismay of his wife, pleading with the recruitment team to exclude them but getting
denied.
Saigo tries to calm her down, as he promises to return unharmed in time for him to see
their baby.
Some more days pass, and the tunnels have expanded.
Kuribayashi relieves Admiral Ohsugi of duty and orders him to return to headquarters to
request support for Iwo Jima.
Despite his indifference, he leaves but advises General Hayashi to stir clear of Kuribayashi
and take control of the regiment.
Nishi overhears their conversation and reports it to the Lt. Col., but he dismisses it.
After Admiral Ichimaru arrives, American Air Force planes swoop into their territory and
blanket the area with gunfire and bombs.
Many Japanese soldiers, including Nichi's horse, Jupiter, died during the surprise attack.
More bombing raids occur over the next few days, forcing the men to bunker in the tunnels
for safety.
While writing another letter for his family, Kuribayashi is informed that the U.S. warships
will go to Iwo Jima after their siege in Saipan.
After making preparations, he rallies the troops.
He delivers an inspirational speech encouraging the men to fight and die for their country.
While a few soldiers pray in the shrine, Nichi and Kuribayashi finish the letters written
for their respective loved ones.
The moment arrived when hundreds of U.S. Marines landed on the beach of Iwo Jima, with the
Imperial officers standing by for further instructions.
As they close in on the pillboxes, the men open fire, and the attack commences on both
sides, leading to thousands of casualties.
Later, Kuribayashi learns from his officials that the forces in Mount Suribachi remain
intact despite the crippled defenses.
Still, the enemies continually advance with a two-pronged attack formation.
They overcame the beach defenses and attacked Mount Suribachi.
Meanwhile, Captain Tanada orders Saigo to report to Colonel Adachi for additional firepower.
However, upon seeing him, he overhears Lt. Col. Kuribayashi's retreat orders over the
radio, which Adachi disobeys, giving a note to Saigo for the unit to commit honorable
suicide.
While the Captain and the men obey and kill themselves, Saigo persuades Private Shimizu
to continue fighting and retreat to the northern caves in Motoyama, per Kuribayashi's instructions.
Along their way through the tunnels, they meet other displaced soldiers who they witness
kill an American soldier.
They later leave the tunnels and crawl through the underbrush while U.S. Marines open fire
during an ambush attack.
Not long after, they present themselves to Lieutenant Ito, only to get reprimanded for
not staying with the company to die honorably.
Just before they get summarily executed, Lt. Col. Kuribayashi arrives to clarify it was
his order to retreat.
He becomes horrified to see Mount Suribachi taken over after a heavy siege, believing
the Americans will maneuver all forces onto the hillside.
He orders Ito to continue fighting until they die, much to the Lieutenant's dismay.
Later, Saigo and Shimizu are called to move out and rendezvous with General Hayashi's
troops to take back Suribachi per Ito's orders, a clear act of defiance against Kuribayashi.
Though unable to locate the General, the troops advance but get caught in an ambush, killing
many of their soldiers.
Ito returns to the caves to reprimand the remaining men, but Nishi confronts him, saying
Kuribayashi countermanded Hayashi's orders to attack.
Fed up with staying behind, he disobeys and leaves for the front.
He later tells his men to abandon him.
He plans to sacrifice himself by detonating an enemy tank with a bomb.
Meanwhile, Kuribayashi is disheartened by the news of Hayashi's unit suicide and the
letter from HQ informing that the military will not send reinforcements, hoping the soldiers
will die fighting for Iwo Jima.
During a shootout, Nishi spots an injured American soldier named Sam the following day
and orders the men to bring him inside the cave.
Moved with compassion, he asks them to treat his wounds, believing they can be better men
than their enemies.
Later, he questions Sam, speaking to him in fluent English developed through his stay
in Los Angeles, California, while training and competing in the 1932 Olympics.
He shows a picture of himself and his horse, earning the Oklahoma native his trust as they
shake hands and get acquainted.
Shortly after, Shimizu is compelled to tell Saigo why he was drafted.
He recalls a night he and his superior visited a civilian's home to reprimand the owner for
not displaying the Imperial flag.
The commanding officer becomes annoyed with the owner's dog and asks Shimizu to kill it.
However, he takes it to the backyard and shoots his gun in the air, making it appear he did
the task.
Unfortunately, the dog barks, angering his superior, who beats and discharges him from
duty after only 5 days of service as a military policeman.
Meanwhile, Kuribayashi recalls receiving a prized 1911 Colt .45 pistol at a U.S. country
club party celebrating the Japanese-American alliance in the 1920s.
Soon after, Sam dies, and Nishi emotionally reads a note from the fallen soldier's mother,
inspiring the men.
Suddenly, another bombing raid occurs, blinding Nishi with the shrapnel.
Believing he is useless, he instructs the company to evacuate, relieving command to
Lieutenant Okubo.
After bidding the men farewell, he waits for them to leave before shooting himself.
Later, Shimizu breaks down, telling Saigo his regrets about believing Americans were
savages.
The pair attempt to surrender and plan to leave the unit for dysentery.
Unfortunately, Okubo sees through the deception, shooting another deserter in the back as Shimizu
runs to escape.
He is found by U.S. troops shortly after and given water.
He joins a fellow captive soldier from the 314th infantry and discusses their future
after the war.
However, a heartless U.S. soldier executes them, fearing they will retaliate.
Shimizu's corpse is later found by Okubo's unit, much to Saigo's shock.
By morning, the men reach the caves where Kuribayashi is located.
However, they are ambushed by U.S. Marines surrounding the area, getting Okubo killed.
They present themselves to the Lt. Col. but find their hideout low in supplies.
He stops Saigo, recognizing him as the soldier in Ito's company.
He thanks him for saving his life twice, but the Lt. Col. remarks that everything comes
in threes.
Later, while writing a letter for his wife, Hanako, the first-class private is ordered
to dig up worms as food.
He then befriends Kuribayashi, with both men feeling inspired after listening to a song
on the radio dedicated to the Iwo Jima soldiers.
While a counterattack is executed, Kuribayashi orders him to stay behind and burn all documentation,
including his military chest.
This is the third time he has saved his life.
Arming themselves with bayonets, the Lt. Col. leads the unit to the battlefield at night.
An exchange of heavy gunfire ensues, killing most of his men and critically wounding him.
Lieutenant Fujita finds him and drags him away to safety.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Ito, wandering aimlessly after abandoning his suicide mission, is captured
by the U.S. Marines.
The following day, a badly bruised Kuribayashi pleads with Fujita to behead him with his
sword as an act of mercy.
Still, the subordinate gets fatally shot by a U.S. Marine sniper.
Saigo appears shortly after on the hill with a shovel from having buried a bag of compiled
letters he found before leaving the caves.
Upon seeing the Lt. Col., Kuribayashi asks him a favor to bury him somewhere he will
not be discovered.
He flashes back to when he was driving through the American desert, telling his son he was
going home.
He asks Saigo if they are still on Japanese soil.
When he responds, "Yes," he shoots himself.
Shortly before the private prepares to bury him, U.S. Marines arrive and check on Fujita's
corpse.
They find Saigo, who becomes hysterical when he sees one of the soldiers keep Kuribayashi's
prized pistol.
He is knocked out but awakens at the docks, receiving treatment like the other injured
soldiers.
As the sun sets, he smiles, grateful for his survival.
In the present, the research team has finished digging underground and discovered the bag
of letters buried by Saito years ago.
As they are thrown out, the voices of the brave soldiers emanate.
These letters would later be studied by historians and preserved in Japanese archives.