Question

Why did the Allies capture so few Japanese soldiers when they attacked Iwo Jima?
The Japanese had successfully fortified the island.
The Japanese had planned for no surviving prisoners.
The Japanese inflicted terrible casualties on the Allies.
The Japanese hid among the civilian population.

Answer 1

The best answer is: The Japanese had planned for no surviving prisoners.

Explanation: Japanese commanders on Iwo Jima adopted a deliberate fight-to-the-death strategy (deep caves, tunnels and fortified positions, orders to resist to the last man, and strong cultural/military discouragement of surrender). As a result only a few hundred defenders were taken prisoner. The island had no civilian population, and while the fortifications and heavy casualties were factors in the battle, the main reason so few were captured was the Japanese policy and practice of fighting to the death rather than surrendering.