Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read For Every American
Review: They say the school children aren't taught much about Pearl Harbor and the great battles of World War II anymore and I wonder why. The generation of Americans that fought for all Americans is fast disappearing. Beore that happens books like Flags of our Fathers should be required reading for one of the high school history courses to educate the kids about the sacrifices made by 17-20 yr old boys in 1945. I was16 at the time yet I did not understand how vital the battle of Iwo Jima was to the victory over Japan; of how determined the Niponese soldiers were to fight to the death for the glory of their emperor; how brave our boys were to face the onslaught of all the guns and bullets thrown at them even as they stepped off the landing ships thru the ocean water turned red by the Marines blood. No wonder the few survivors did not want to talk about the night mares they endured for years after returning home. This book along with other stories of WW II should be read by all of us in memory of each man and woman who answered their country's call to defend our lives and the way we chose to live it. Otherwise we might be speaking Japanese or German today.
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Summary: Bradley Removes Hero Worship And Leaves Us With... Heroes.
Review: Born in 1974, I can hardly claim to have experienced the terror and patriotism that surrounded WWII. By all accounts, the picture of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi has always existed for me. In ever history book through school, the six men hoisting the American flag on a makeshift pole atop this sawed-off "mountain" was printed as the epitome of American valor. Little was mentioned about the people or the event that surrounded this monumental photograph. Now, thankfully, we know.This book is an absolute must-read. At once a biography of each of these six brave men, a history book, a war novel, and a tale of struggle, this book should find its way onto the bookshelf of every American. The lives of these men before, during, and after the battle of Iwo Jima is enough to fill you with great sadness and immense patriotic pride simultaneously. This book is as relevant today as it could have been had it been published 55 years ago. While it is quite usual to hear words like honor, courage, and commitment strewn about by talking heads that pervade our society and media, it is rare to see these demonstrated by actual human beings. The stories of these men will show that that even under great strain the human spirit can thrive, and that occaisionally our heroes can be taken at face value. However, as Bradley points out, these men were not heroes for raising that flag on Mount Suribachi. They, like every other American boy who set foot on foreign soil for God and country half a century ago, were heroes for the simple act of being there and doing the best they could. Buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: Must read!!!
Review: I, too, lived with the silence of my father's experiences on Iwo Jima. This book gave me the insight of probably why. The odds against the Marines were unbelievable!!!
This book truly touched me. It helped me realize what my own father probably lived through. He was wounded in March 1945.
I was told he came back a changed man. I totally understand now and am so glad this book became available to me as my father died 11 years ago.
The book was done very well and I can't even imagine the research Mr. Bradley went through to write it with such precision. He not only honored his father along with the other flag raisers but every single Marine that hit that beach so long ago.
He takes you there and tells it like it was.
I feel the book would make a tremendous movie. But without a doubt, it should be read by all!!
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Summary: A son discovers the uncommon valor on Iwo Jima
Review: James Bradley is the son of Navy Corpsman Jack "Doc" Bradley. On February 19, 1945 Doc stormed the beach of Iwo Jima with the U.S. Marines amphibious landing units. Shortly thereafter, Doc Bradley was frozen in time by "The Photograph" taken by John Rosenthal of the Associated Press. "The Photograph," of course is of the six gung ho men who raised the replacement flag on Mount Suribachi. "Flags of Our Fathers," is about the Marines bloody battle for Iwo Jima where uncommon valor was common. This book is also about the six men who raised the flag...how only three survived the battle...and how the others survived after the war was won. All in all, the American victory at Iwo Jima hastened the end of the war in the Pacific. But the price was horrific. American soldiers killed about 21,000 Japanese on Iwo Jima but suffered more than 26,000 casualties doing so. Making it the only battle in the Pacific where the invaders suffered higher casualties than the defenders. The author does extensive research and interviews. To this end, this book captures the tremendous bravery of the young men who fought in the battle for Iwo Jima. In the process, the author discovers after his father's death that "Doc" was awarded the "Navy Cross" but modestly never mentioned it to his family. The six flagraisers: Mike Strank, Marlon Block, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon, Jack Bradley and Franklin Sousley are given special attention. Author James Bradley retraces the lives of his father and the other five flagraisers in great detail. The result is a sensitive and fascinating narrative. This is a special book that properly documents that the generation of men and women who united to win the war in the Pacific were indeed the best we have ever seen. The author also graciously adds to the legendary glory of the U.S. Marine Corps. Recommended. Bert Ruiz
Rating:
Summary: Uncommon story from war's "common" soldier
Review: Every American should read this book. Iwo Jima's flag raising is etched in the memory of war veterans as well as baby boomers, at least the staged version of the event. And the film version showed the story, even if it was the Hollywood version. "Flags" is a compelling story of one of the men who won the battle of Iowa Jima and then went home -- very quietly -- to live out his life. Only his death allowed his children to read and understand the magnitude of what he and other war veterans achieved, the many veterans who did their job against horrendous odds and then moved on with their lives, with only their nightmares and private, silent, secrets to haunt them for the rest of their lives. They would not, or could not, speak about their experiences. And for good reason. James Bradley delves into the story his father never told while he was alive, the story of unimagined terror on a tiny island, fighting a most savage, unforgiving and unsurrendering enemy. His father saw atrocities no one deserves to see. And, after all this, he led a quiet, unassuming life in Wisconsin after the war, returning to his roots and putting the war behind him as best he could. The son's pursuit of the full story results in perhaps the greatest tribute a son can offer, a glowing, sobering, startling story honoring a deceased father and his comrades. James Bradley's dad was a hero who knew that the real heroes didn't come off Iwo alive. He honored the dead comrades with a deep, unspoken respect. Tom Brokaw's "Greatest Generation" is the more popular and publicized version of these war veterans and their unrewarded heroics but his casual treatment of these great men can't come anywhere close to "Flags". I read it, cried, and passed the book to others who would appreciate it. Read it. And do the same.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring!
Review: I had to read this book for an Honors English class, and it was horribly boring! Yes, the information provided is accurate, but Bradly wrote it in such a way that it was just a pain in the behind to read.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: I was skeptical before picking up this book, but I'm very glad I did in the end. The story follows the men who posted the flag on the island of Iwo Jima. For those who don't know, the monument in Washington D.C. of the men sticking a flag in the ground is actually these men. Bradley does a great job of introducing the characters in the book, one being his father. It's interesting none of the men tried to claim fame for this great feat. If you are interested in World War II, you must read this. I blew through this book in about 3 days. It is easily one of the best books I have ever read, and probably the best WWII book I have read!
Rating:
Summary: A Powerful Account of the Famous Picture
Review: Having recently studied World War II in my American History class, this book helped to bring the facts down to a personal level. Until opening this book, the famous Iwo Jima picture was just that- famous. I had never heard any of the names of the men in the picture. I simply had memorized all of the necessary information needed to pass the Pacific theater test. This book put a face behind the facts. I learned how passionate these men were about their country. Men (or actually children, I guess) were lying about their age so they could be sent overseas to fight for their country! Boys younger than I were giving up their life for their country. That's insane! I guess I simply cannot understand the feeling. This book helped me to begin to understand. The pain and suffering that these men felt, and continue to feel is unimaginable. No wonder they didn't want to talk. No wonder many of them came home and just wanted to get on with life.
An issue that was touched upon several times throughout the book was the concept of being a hero. These men are heroes. No matter what anyone says and no matter how many times each of the flag raisers denied it, I believe that they are heroes. But these six aren't the only heroes. Every American that risked their life for freedom is a hero. And until I read this book, I didn't understand the price of freedom.
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Summary: Must Read for all Americans
Review: Flags of Our Fathers painted a vivid picture in my mind of what soldiers went through during the battle at Iwo Jima. Having just learned about WWII in history class, some of the information in this book wasn't new to me. However, James Bradley focuses the book on six soldiers who fought in this battle and are seen throughout the United States in the famous photo of six young men raising the American Flag on top of Mount Suribachi. Bradley gives us the background of each of these six heroic men, and tells about all their battles and how they all end up together in Iwo Jima. He gives you an inside look at the tragedies that Americans not in the war did not know about. It is also easy for a reader to see what the effects of war are on the brave souls that risk their lives to protect. James Bradley, who's father was John Bradley, one of the six flagraisers, experienced his fathers behavior after he returned from the war. He talks about how the photo becamse seen all over the USA but how his father never mentioned it, or talked about it. The thought of the war was too much for him to relive. Overall, Flags of Our Fathers gives readers an inside and deeper look into what the Battle at Iwo Jima and the rest of the war was like. It shows you how these 6 normal men, ended up being seen all through the USA and how they were forever remembered through the statue built to resemble them putting in the flag. The book is history with heart. It draws the reader in, and provokes feelings for these men and others that fought in the war. Even for teenagers like myself, this book painted a vivid picture of what it was like to experience a tragedy such as war and then have to live the remainder of your life with those images in your head. All Americans should take time to read this amazing book.
Rating:
Summary: Appreciation
Review: Having just studied WWII in class, reading this book was educational, and most of all, inspiring. The boys who fought this war were no longer images, they became real people to me as I read. I came away with a more appreciative feeling towards our veterans. They fought so hard for their country, against a relentless and, at times, cruel enemy. Yet they gave all that they could for their country.
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