Rating: 
Summary: It was an honor!
Review: Seldom have I read a book that uplifted and inspired me as much as James Bradley's Flags of Our Fathers! Learning about such men as Doc Bradley, Mike Strank, Franklin Sousley, Harlon Block, Ira Hayes, and Rene Gagnon, plus other famous Marines like Carlos Hathcock, noted Marine Sniper, help shape the image of what real heroes are like. An outstanding resource for our youth who need to understand that heroes are all around them - those who stand by you when you're down, no matter what, and just get the job done! From an ex-swabie airdale, Semper Fi!
Rating:
Summary: Now, at last, the silence of WW II veterans is understood
Review: How could it be possible that this book was turned down 27 times before being published? YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK! If you ever wondered what sets U S Marines apart, then this is the book to read. If you ever wondered what real courage was about, then this is your book. If you don't weep through this book you'll know that you don't have a heart. James Bradley did a superlative job of describing the lives of six ordinary kids from cradle to grave. Along the way these kids joined the Marines & Navy (Bradley's dad was a Navy corpman = medic)and became men on a tiny "sulphur island" in the Pacific in the costliest (in lives) Marine battle in history. The Japanese gave no quarter and the U S Marines never quit attacking until the island was taken. You live the battle,too! Several other kids were described in the book such as the two "Buttermilk Boys" - too young to vote, too young to legally drink, and too young to legally be in the Marine Corps, but heroes all the same. You will think about this book for a long time, you will laugh, you will cry, but you can't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: A history lesson to be read & STUDIED
Review: A birth year of 1931 precluded my getting into the armed services in 1941. My humble contributions to the war effort were limited to scrap iron drives, buying "war stamps", gathering cooking grease, a "victory garden" and serving as a messenger (runner) in a local Civil Defense unit. My heroes of that day were men and women in uniform; I absolutely idolized them. Flags of Our Fathers confirmed that my hero worship of those years was not misplaced. This book should be required reading in every history class taught in this country. And, it should be STUDIED by those late-comers who contend that the dropping of the atomic bomb against Japan was unnecessary. Having been around during the WW II era it has long been my contention that for those of us who lived then, no explanation of this country's action is necessary, and for those who came after, no explanation will suffice. Well, this book by James Bradley with Ron Powers comes as close to a "sufficient" explanation as anything during or since that period. Outstanding work.
Rating:
Summary: Character at the Corps
Review: Readers can extract much from this book that goes beyond the mere details of the historic flag raising on Mt. Surabachi. Reported in this book are not only the heroics of the six men who fought and raised the flag on Iwo Jima, but also the post-war behavior of the three survivors who eventually came home. Though James Bradley writes thorough biographical sketches of each of the flag raisers, including the unfortunate struggles of Ira Hayes, he especially focuses on the post-war behavior of his own father, Jack. The rememberances of Bradley's father, along with the research he did on his father's conduct during the famous battle, provoke the reader to ponder the issue of character. Was his father's sense of duty and service as a medic forged by his combat experience or established long before that? Was a lifetime of service to his Wisconsin community a result of Jack Bradley's wartime experience or was it just an inherent part of him? It is a book that lingers in one's mind long after it is returned to the shelf.
Rating:
Summary: A Must for the WWII Reader!
Review: An avid reader of WWII history, this book is a prized possession in my library. Mr. Bradley's work is both a stunning depiction of the battle of Iwo Jima and a touching story of the human side of the war and its later effects on the men who fought it. For all of us who have viewed the famous flagraising photograph as an icon of American culture, this book gives new insight to the true significance of the photograph, putting in it's proper place historically. This is a great book - easy to read and hard to put down!
Rating:
Summary: My dad asked me to read this...
Review: This book must be read by the world, to have more reason to hate war...by America, to know what WWI was beyond just the stuff of history...by children of those who served, to understand your parent as a young person during a terrible time.I am a girl, er, middle aged woman really. I don't read war stuff. But my 80 year old dad who served in the Pacific asked me to read this book because I asked him why he's never established an oral history of his time at war for his children and grandchildren. James Bradley researched his subject with extreme care and diligence. With his co-author, Ron Powers, the two have created a very readable book that teaches the reader more than ever expected from a book about the history of the battle on Iwo Jima.
Rating:
Summary: A moving tribute
Review: Written by the son of one of the Iwo Jima flag raisers, Flags of Our Fathers is a moving tribute and ironic true story of the six Marines immortalized in the Pulitzer Prize winning Rosenthal photograph (referred to as "The Photograph" in the book.) The lives of the 5 Marines and 1 Navy Corpsman are chronicled from boyhood through training, to the battle for Iwo Jima itself. After the flag raising, the lives of those who survived the battle are explored, with an emphasis on how "The Photograph" changed their lives. Unfortunately, the change was not for the better - each had difficulty with the label "hero" throust upon them. Bradley's book eloquently communicates the depths of emotion between fighting men, and the tremendous sacrifice the Marines and sailors made at Iwo Jima. Repeatedly the survivng flag raisers are quoted that "they are not heroes," that "the real heroes never returned from Iwo Jima." After reading Bradley's novel, I am convinced that no one who fought there ever really returned. And that in spite of their denials, those men (and all those who served in WWII) are heroes. Few books have moved me to tears. This book has. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Gripping
Review: It is a rare occurence to read a book that can move you in ways you never thought possible. "Flags of our Fathers" is a book that every American citizen should read. The sacrifices made by our WWII veterans is awe-inspiring. They truly are heros for the gallant courage they showed in defending the Pacific. "Flags of our Fathers" offers an excellent historical background on Japanese attrocities committed during WWII and America's decision to go to war and ultimately use atomic weapons against them. After living in Japan for three years, it is so hard to believe how the Japanese conducted themselves during the war. This book sheds light on why other Asian countries still harbor anger against Japan and why the Emporer apologized for Japan's actions during WWII at the Winter Olympics in Nagano. There still is much healing that needs to take place. If you're looking for an excellent book to read, I highly recommend this one. It will leave you inspired.
Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Sacrifice
Review: Bravery. Honor. Horror. Patriotism. How can any words describe what the Marines experienced on the tiny island of Iwo Jima? How do we show gratitude? DO we know enough about the sacrifices made to even WANT to show gratitude? "Flags of Our Fathers" tells in great detail the triumph and the tragedy of Iwo Jima, through the eyes of many men. As the book quotes a message outside the cemetary on Iwo Jima (speaking to those who left alive): When you go home, tell them for us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today Those Marines gave us an incredible gift. They gave us our freedom. They put themselves in front of bullets so that we wouldn't have to. James Bradley has done an absolutely incredible job in writing this book. It is a must-read for every American citizen. Especially for my generation. A generation that hasn't had to sacrifice very much. I'm quickly learning, though, that my freedom came at a great price. May God bless each and every serviceman and servicewoman in our country today. They are standing on the line for you.
Rating:
Summary: Flags of Our Fathers
Review: A marvelous work and a classic salute to all who served in World War II in general and Iwo Jima specifically. Though this might be unconventional, a response to the review of Lori Scott is appropriate. Ms. Scott, anyone familiar with the events of Iwo Jima knows about the first flag raisers. Perhaps they were justified at feeling slighted and somewhat cheated in history by the second group's fame. However, the purpose of the second flag was to make a larger one more visible, not to get a "good shot." The incredible and timeless photograph by Joe Rosenthal that brought fame to the second group was actually somewhat of a fluke. As I recall, he was falling down as he snapped the picture. But the borish insinuation that the second flag raisers were not "real heroes" and somehow had their lives ruined by a secret embarrassment is grossly insulting and one of the most ignorant and stupid opinions I have ever read. God bless James Bradley for his work, and God bless his father and his comrades. Also, God bless Ernest Howell and the first flag raisers, as well as all the men who bled and died on that hellish rock. I am glad I at least can say at this writing that no person reading the nonsense of Ms. Scott has found it helpful. It is only suited for lining a bird cage.
|
