Tadamichi Kuribayashi

General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (栗林 忠道, Kuribayashi Tadamichi?, born 7 July 1891 in Nagano Prefecture, Japan – c. 26 March 1945 on Iwo Jima, Japan) was a haiku poet, diplomat, and General (Taisho) of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff. He is best known for being overall commander of the Japanese garrison during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Even before the battle, General Kuribayashi insisted upon sharing the hardships of his men. He also refused to permit banzai charges, which he regarded as an unnecessary waste of his men's lives. Although the United States Marine Corps had expected to capture Iwo Jima in 5 days, Kuribayashi and his men waged guerilla warfare against them for 36 days. Although he is believed to have been killed in action in the final assault, Kuribayashi's body was never identified by the United States military.

The 2006 movie Letters from Iwo Jima brought General Kuribayashi's story to an international audience for the first time. Kuribayashi was portrayed by Japanese actor Ken Watanabe. The film received wide acclaim and four Academy Award nominations.

Read more about Tadamichi Kuribayashi:  Early Life, Pacific War, Legacy, In Popular Culture