edHelper.com
World War II


Iwo Jima


Iwo Jima
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 6 to 8
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   6.78

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    amphibious, kamikaze, suicide, bombings, asset, heroism, military, withstand, fortify, factor, fairly, artillery, mainland, death, planes, fashion
     content words:    Iwo Jima, On February, These Marines, Mount Suribachi


Print Iwo Jima
edHelper.com subscriber options:
     Print Iwo Jima  (font options, pick words for additional puzzles, and more)

     Quickly print reading comprehension

     Print a proofreading activity


Feedback on Iwo Jima
     Leave your feedback on Iwo Jima  (use this link if you found an error in the story)



Iwo Jima
By Jane Runyon
  

1     After the Battle of Leyte in the Philippines, Japan knew the Allies were coming ever closer to their mainland. They also realized that their military was becoming seriously depleted. Their navy had lost so many ships they were no longer a major factor in battles. They had lost most of their aircraft. It would take years to build enough planes to bring them back up to full strength. The replacement planes being built did not have the ability to fly the long distances they would need to protect the home islands.
 
2     Japan had to come up with a plan to stop the advance of the Allied forces. They were certain that the Allies would try to reach Japan through Okinawa and Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima was a fairly small island. It was less than five miles from north to south. It was two and a half miles at its widest point and one half mile at its narrowest. The Japanese decided to make it as secure as possible before the expected attack from the Allies.
 
3     To give themselves time to fortify Iwo Jima, the Japanese called for a number of "kamikaze" attacks on Allied ships in the area. Kamikazes were volunteer suicide bombers. These pilots flew their planes over the carriers in the Pacific shipping lanes. They would crash their planes into the ships. It was certain death for the pilot. These planes were capable of doing great damage to the ships they hit. The Japanese plan was to delay the Allied ships long enough for them to complete the defense of Iwo Jima.

Paragraphs 4 to 7:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable


Copyright © 2008 edHelper