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Subject: Iwo Jima - hyothetical invasion
mabie    11/7/2009 3:51:31 AM
If Iwo Jima had to be invaded today and both sides were armed with modern weaponry (except nukes), what kind of scenario would play out? I still think it would be a bloody affair and a premium would be pt on weapons that can destroy underground facilities.
 
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WarNerd       11/7/2009 5:53:45 AM
Depends on the quantity of resources available to both sides and the adoption of appropriate tactics, as well as the technology.
 
Given the superiority that the attacker [USA] had in men and materials, upping the technology level probably works in their favor by leveraging longer range resources into what was pretty much a short range brawl.  The improved reconnaissance and the ability to call precision fires on fixed positions as fast as they can be revealed/located will do much to negate the defender's advantage of prepared positions.
 
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mabie       11/8/2009 2:12:30 AM
A lot would depend on the ability to pinpoint the tunnel entrances and camouflaged bunkers.  I was reading up on it and it was a very strange kind of combat due to the extensive use of tunnels by the Japanese. Anything identified on the surface could be targeted and destroyed with today's weapons. That missile with a thermobaric warhead developed for use in Afghanistan would be ideal for dealing with the tunnel networks. Still, there were thousands of entrances, many undetectable,  and you'd still expect significant losses specially when an enemy soldier could pop up behind you at anytime and cause mayhem.
Depends on the quantity of resources available to both sides and the adoption of appropriate tactics, as well as the technology.

 

Given the superiority that the attacker [USA] had in men and materials, upping the technology level probably works in their favor by leveraging longer range resources into what was pretty much a short range brawl.  The improved reconnaissance and the ability to call precision fires on fixed positions as fast as they can be revealed/located will do much to negate the defender's advantage of prepared positions.



 
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