I should probably note, btw, that Iwo Jima, in the end, actually saved more lives than were lost. The number of crewmembers aboard B-29s that made it to Iwo, but probably would not have made it to Saipan, actually outnumbered total Marine/Navy casualties.

This is one of the calculus’ of war. But one wonders whether the press would allow one to make that argument today?