Kuribayashi wrote out a list of six “courageous battle vows.” These were mimeographed and distributed to every unit on the island, and every soldier was compelled to memorize and recite them. The vows were posted on the walls of bunkers, pasted to the barrels of weapons, neatly copied into notebooks, and kept on folded pages in soldiers’ pockets: 1. We shall defend this place with all our strength to the end. 2. We shall fling ourselves against the enemy tanks clutching explosives to destroy them. 3. We shall slaughter the enemy, dashing in among them to kill them. 4. Every one of our shots
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