
The gate drops on the landing boat bullets fly past, and shrapnel exploding everywhere, but the men of the United States Marine Core push forward as their fellow soldiers fall. Forward they push to fight the oppressive Empire of Japan. The battle in the Pacific consisted of some of the deadliest fighting and some of the harshest living conditions of World War II. The Japanese were deeply entrenched, having fortified themselves with tunnels and other mischievous tactics, which that made regaining these hellish islands increasingly difficult. The Marines who stormed these beaches repeatedly were regarded as heroes for their courageous actions and fearless deeds. One image effectively captures the scope of the war being waged against Japan, a picture that symbolizes all that America stood for. The photo, taken on February 23, 1945, portrays six American marines raising the United States flag atop Mount Suribachi, symbolizing that hope and dedication will prevail even during times of war. Through the use of color, contrast, spacing, and scale the photo embodies the bravery, courage, and unity that all of America shared during World War II.

The photo was one of the more iconic images published during the Second Great War. Although the original photo was in black and white, the color and contrast plays a major role in the emotions provoked by the photo. It appears to be a beautiful day with wispy clouds instead of the norm  hellish rains which the marines had become accustomed to. This promotes the feeling that when the United States prevails, even Mother Nature recognizes it. The stark contrast between the flag and the clouds makes it seem as though the flag stands alone on top of the nightmare of an island. This empowers the viewer to feel a sense of pride in their nation for fighting off the oppressor and encourages the continuation of hard work back in America in order to continue to be successful. 

The spacing of the men in photo symbolizes the unity that the country and the men in the armed forces felt during this lengthy conflict. The marines must work together to raise the flag, which parallels the notion that to win the war, the United States could not fight as individuals but instead had to fight as a cohesive unit. This is not just referencing individual platoons or soldiers on the battlefield but how the nation as a whole had to come together to win this fight. The men in combat weren’t the only individuals making sacrifices to ensure victory. The men and women who remained home held scrap drives and bond drives to obtain money, precious metals, and other materials needed to make weapons and other necessary items. 

The size of the men compared to the size of the flag portrays that the flag flies higher than any one man. This embodies the ideology that the United States could not have won the war as individuals, but when we stood together as one nation we could not be defeated. The height of the flag helps the viewer to recognize the importance of flying the flag so that all could see it. Knowing that the flag flew atop the highest point on the island of Iwo Jima shows that the United States victory over Japan in this battle will eventually symbolize the overall victory that the United States achieves in the war for the Pacific.

  The unity and power that this picture portrays shall forever be a symbol of the United States military dominance in World War II. The men and women of that time period did the improbable by not only beating the superpower of Germany and the Axis powers on main land Europe, but also single handedly defeating the Empire of Japan. The United States stood alone during this time period as the greatest country in the world, although that may be challenged by other nations today, and this picture will forever inspire and provoke patriotism in future generations.  
