Flags of Our Fathers : Heroes of Iwo Jima

Rating:
Summary: Wow! Further enhanced my respect for Veterans.
Review: A friend recommended this book to me after reading the entire thing in less than a week. I was in the midst of reading a few other books, so I said ok when he offered to lend it to me thinking that I would read it off and on and give it back to him in a couple of months. WRONG!

Within 3 hours of starting it, I had logged on to Amazon and had ordered my own copy. Within 3 days I had finished and was re-reading the parts I couldn't remember. The writing of James Bradley is good, nothing spectacular in and of itself. The story of Iwo Jima is one of the most riveting, gut-wrenching, and reverence-evoking in the history of the United States military, but I've read a few other (much more detailed) histories of Iwo Jima that did not have as profound an impact as this one did. The idea to trace the lives of a few soldiers through their battle is not a new one either.

However, there is something special here. I can't describe it. Maybe because the author was writing about his father. I don't know, but by the end of this book, I felt like I knew the men. I cannot even begin to say that I understood the horror of the war from their perspective, discovering mutilated bodies of best friends, living with the reality that every "pop" that you hear in the never-ending background noise of gunfire could have ended your life, or maybe ended the life of a comrade. But I think that I understand now better than I ever have before. When I met a WWII vet during one of my clinical rotations in a nursing home I had a new-found respect for him after reading this book. The effect has been profound. I know that that is the effect of many war books on individuals who read them for the first time; that is why there is such a market. I, however, have read many histories and war accounts of all shapes and sizes. This one stands out. I will never forget those men. I can never look at that picture of Iwo Jima again--which, even today, seems to be everywhere--without thinking back to the lives, loves, and deaths of those men.

Thank you, James, for your hard work in writing this book.
-Jacob Hantla

Rating:
Summary: Flags on Iwo Jima
Review: Flags of Our Fathers is a grand book by James Bradley. It is about the small island of Iwo Jima is in the pacific region. It is a Japanese controlled airstrip close to the country of Japan. The Americans wanted to take control of this very small island because it is a prime place to re-fuel and land aircraft on, the island before they go to attack Japan. This book is about six men and the rest of the Marines and Navy that all go to the island to take control of it.

Those six men fought on that island and they raised the flag on top of Mount Suribachi. They started the famous image taken by Mr. Rosenthal.

This in my view is the greatest book in world. It is a very touching and emotional book. It was sad and really spoke to me. It is hard to believe that these men were just doing their duty.
I recommend this splendid book to anybody that wants to read a very touching book about the heros of Iwo Jima.

Rating:
Summary: Flags on Iwo Jima
Review: Flags of Our Fathers is a grand book by James Bradley. It is about the small island of Iwo Jima is in the pacific region. It is a Japanese controlled airstrip close to the country of Japan. The Americans wanted to take control of this very small island because it is a prime place to re-fuel and land aircraft on, the island before they go to attack Japan. This book is about six men and the rest of the Marines and Navy that all go to the island to take control of it.

Those six men fought on that island and they raised the flag on top of Mount Suribachi. They started the famous image taken by Mr. Rosenthal.

This in my view is the greatest book in world. It is a very touching and emotional book. It was sad and really spoke to me. It is hard to believe that these men were just doing their duty.
I recommend this splendid book to anybody that wants to read a very touching book about the heros of Iwo Jima.

Rating:
Summary: Flag Of Our Fathers, Abridged
Review: I am so grateful that this book has been abridged for younger readers. All too soon, the veterans of all our wars will be "old men". Our young people will not hear of the atrocities and anguish of being in combat. Reading this book may very well prevent our future leaders from allowing our history to repeat itself.

Rating:
Summary: The tragedy of war
Review: I felt like I was there. I could feel my eyes stinging and my heart pounding with every page describing the battles. These scenes were some of the best I've ever read. However, the book seemed to drag toward the end. Still, it was a proud book that honors the military that will make you want to salute all the veterens you know.

Rating:
Summary: The tragedy of war
Review: I felt like I was there. I could feel my eyes stinging and my heart pounding with every page describing the battles. These scenes were some of the best I've ever read. However, the book seemed to drag toward the end. Still, it was a proud book that honors the military that will make you want to salute all the veterens you know.

Rating:
Summary: paradoxes of war
Review: In reading this book, not being American, and 60 years after the battle of Iwo Jima one can extract two- three conclusions: heroism is an accident and can become a dangerous drug if one isn't prepared for it (in the case one attain to survive physically), it has happened also to successful sporstsmen, Hollywood stars, etc. Second, perhaps Iwo Jima could have fallen simply with patience and a blockade that the own Japanese had yet performed, as really they were prisoners into his bunkers. Hunger and disease should have done the rest. Well, perhaps time was important, over all for the airports necessary for the big bombers B-29 to attack the main land of Japan. It's a curious fact, but brave men in the battle can become weak when returned to common daily life.

Rating:
Summary: The battle for Iwo Jima was hell on earth
Review: The battle for Iwo Jima has always been somewhat overshadowed by the Allied invasion of Normandy in June of 1944. While the bulk of the bloodshed at Normandy was over in one day, Iwo's bloody battle raged for a month. The defining and everlasting image of Marine glory on Iwo is 'The Photograph', which captured five Marines and a Navy corpsman raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi. Author James Bradley recounts the battle American soldiers fought on the island as well as the truth behind Joe Rosenthal's timeless photograph.

Bradley's own father, John, was one of the six flag raisers; yet barely spoke a word of to anyone for the remainder of his life. After John Bradley's passing, James began uncovering his father's role on Iwo Jima, as well as the other five flag raisers. He recounts each of their lives, progressing from childhood through military training through Iwo Jima and after.

Bradley's book vividly illustrates the true horror of war in describing the slaughter, courage and heroes of Iwo Jima. Highly recommended.


Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: This book was a terrific book. I knew very little about the battle on Iwo Jima and the flag raisers before I had read this book. My grandfather was in WWII and he has told me little about the war because it brings back bad memories. This book has let me realize why he does not enjoy talking to me about the war.I think James Bradley did a great job of telling about the battle on Mount Suribachi. I highly recommend this book to all people that are wanting to learn about World War II.

Rating:
Summary: Best book I have ever read
Review: This book was the complete package! It gave a backround of each man on Iowa Gima that raised the flag. Then went into each mans way of getting to Mount Sirabachi. Then in the end of the book went into what each one did when they came back from the war. Couldn't put it down and have read it three times since I recieved it. You will not regret buying this book.