Many subordinate units announced plans for a last banzai charge against the enemy, but Kuribayashi firmly told them to remain in their positions and fight to the last bullet. He said that “everybody would like to get an easy way to die early,” but it was the duty of every Japanese soldier on the island to stay alive as long as possible, to “inflict heavy casualties to the enemy.”80 The Americans set up loudspeakers and began broadcasting surrender appeals in Japanese, including personal appeals aimed directly at Kuribayashi. There was no response, except bullets. General Erskine’s 3rd Division
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