"There is no use for a dead soldier."

"[On Kuribayashi] He studied the Americans, so he knows how to beat them."

"[About Nishi's romancing skills] There are rumors about his womanizing...But there are no women left to woo."

"[Letter to his wife] We soldiers dig. We dig all day. This is the hole that we will fight and die in. Am I digging my…"

"The cave digging may be futile. The stand on Iwo may be futile. The whole war may be futile. But would you give up th…"

"[In response to a soldier saying death is honorable] Kashiwara died of honorable dysentery."

"Everything happens in threes."

"[When the Allied forces fire on him] Why are you always messing with me. It's got to be a joke! [An Allied shell land…"

"[Convincing Shimizu not to kill himself] We can die here, or we can continue fighting. Which would better serve the e…"

"Damn this island! The Americans can have it."