On this day in 1945, American forces landed on the island of Iwo Jima, beginning one of the fiercest battles of World War II. The iconic flag-raising on Mount Suribachi occurred 4 days later on February 27th. The battle would last 36 days and resulted in approximately 18,000 Japanese and 6,800 American casualties. The photograph of the flag-raising became one of the most famous images of the war.
On February 23rd, 1991, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein announced that Iraq would accept the UN ceasefire terms, effectively ending the Persian Gulf War. The war had begun in August 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait.
The island of Iwo Jima was only 8 square miles — about the size of Central Park in New York City — yet the battle there was one of the bloodiest in Pacific warfare.