Flags of Our Fathers

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The Battle of Iwo Jima, fought in the winter of 1945 on a rocky island south of Japan, brought a ferocious slice of hell to earth: in a month's time, more than 22,000 Japanese soldiers would die defending a patch of ground a third the size of Manhattan, while nearly 26,000 Americans fell taking it from them. The battle was a turning point in the war in the Pacific, and it produced one of World War II's enduring images: a photograph of six soldiers raising an American flag on the flank of Mount Suribachi, the island's commanding high point.

One of those young Americans was John Bradley, a Navy corpsman who a few days before had braved enemy mortar and machine-gun fire to administer first aid to a wounded Marine and then drag him to safety. For this act of heroism Bradley would receive the Navy Cross, an award second only to the Medal of Honor.

Bradley, who died in 1994, never mentioned his feat to his family. Only after his death did Bradley's son James begin to piece together the facts of his father's heroism, which was but one of countless acts of sacrifice made by the young men who fought at Iwo Jima. Flags of Our Fathers recounts the sometimes tragic life stories of the six men who raised the flag that February day--one an Arizona Indian who would die following an alcohol-soaked brawl, another a Kentucky hillbilly, still another a Pennsylvania steel-mill worker--and who became reluctant heroes in the bargain. A strongly felt and well-written entry in a spate of recent books on World War II, Flags gives a you-are-there depiction of that conflict's horrible arenas--and a moving homage to the men whom fate brought there. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

In this unforgettable chronicle of perhaps the most famous moment in American military history, James Bradley has captured the glory, the triumph, the heartbreak, and the legacy of the six men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima. Here is the true story behind the immortal photograph that has come to symbolize the courage and indomitable will of America.

In February 1945, American Marines plunged into the surf at Iwo Jima—and into history. Through a hail of machine-gun and mortar fire that left the beaches strewn with comrades, they battled to the island's highest peak. And after climbing through a landscape of hell itself, they raised a flag.

Now the son of one of the flagraisers has written a powerful account of six very different young men who came together in a moment that will live forever.

To his family, John Bradley never spoke of the photograph or the war. But after his death at age seventy, his family discovered closed boxes of letters and photos. In Flags of Our Fathers, James Bradley draws on those documents to retrace the lives of his father and the men of Easy Company. Following these men's paths to Iwo Jima, James Bradley has written a classic story of the heroic battle for the Pacific's most crucial island—an island riddled with Japanese tunnels and 22,000 fanatic defenders who would fight to the last man.

But perhaps the most interesting part of the story is what happened after the victory. The men in the photo—three were killed during the battle—were proclaimed heroes and flown home, to become reluctant symbols. For two of them, the adulation was shattering. Only James Bradley's father truly survived, displaying no copy of the famous photograph in his home, telling his son only: "The real heroes of Iwo Jima were the guys who didn't come back."

Few books ever have captured the complexity and furor of war and its aftermath as well as Flags of Our Fathers. A penetrating, epic look at a generation at war, this is history told with keen insight, enormous honesty, and the passion of a son paying homage to his father. It is the story of the difference between truth and myth, the meaning of being a hero, and the essence of the human experience of war.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

The story of Mt. Suribachi.......2007-10-09

It is one of the most iconic photographs ever taken. It has become the symbol for the valor and the attitude of the Marine Corps. IT is the photograph of six Marines raising a flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. All of us have probably seen this photograph and I know that I was always struck by it - it is a classic pattern in art and it also captures a moment in wartime. There are six soldiers raising a flag. you see the taut bodies, the focus and concentration. And, you see the debris all around them. The detritus of war.

This book tells the story of that photograph but also - and more importantly - the story of the men who were captured in the image and the photographer both before, during, and after the war. The story is pieced together and told by a son of one of the men in the photograph - "Doc" Bradley, the only Navy guy in the tale. The book follows the lives of all six men who are pictured from their hardscrabble beginnings, their decision to join the Marine Corps, and then their role in the Iwo Jima battle and beyond. Three of the men died on Iwo Jima; three survived. Of the three that survived, only two had children. One of those is "Doc" Bradley, and his son tells the tale of them all.

This book is not really about how glorious war is and what kinds of heroes these six men were. No, it portrays war in the ugly, brutal, tormenting fashion that it has without skimping on the details of how many ways men can be killed. Nor does it skimp on descriptions of the atrocities that the Japanese committed both before, during, and after this campaign. There is a lot of apologia given by the author for the Japanese behavior during the war. He describes it as a non-typical Japanese time period repeatedly. Towards the end of the book we find out that he spent several years in Japan and at one point in his life believed that the Japanese were forced to start the war by what Roosevelt supposedly did.

By focusing almost exclusively on the life of these six men, the author manages to paint a picture of World War II America and how "the whole country was one" which is an interesting contrast to today's situation.

The yearlong preparations for the battle are described. The battle itself is described in detail with every one of the six men's participation chronicled in exhaustive detail including the way three of them died. Many other stories are interwoven but only briefly touched upon. One of them, that could have been better served by being described more fully was the story of Bradley's "special buddy" Iggy who is also killed on Iwo Jima. Only in the latter parts of the book do we discover how he died.

Doc Bradley himself wins the Navy Cross on Iwo Jima. However, he never displays it and his eight children are astonished to find out about it after his death in the early 1990's. This launches his son to research the group, the photograph, and the lives of all six men.

The story covers the way they were treated after the photograph was published; how they became the main draw in a bond raising tour; how they behaved during the tour; and how they handled the rest of their lives. There is a strong pathos there and a lot of tragic awareness of how these shell-shocked young men were basically told to grin and bear it and how some of them did, and some of them did not. The story of Ira Hayes and his rapid deterioration into drink is a sad one while the story of Rene Gagnon is no better. Only Bradley lives out a normal middle class life but the author is careful to portray even his own father as suffering from the horrors of what he experienced.

This is a good book to read to find out how war affected young Americans during WW2. It is a good introduction to the horrors, atrocities, and pain of war. It is a good book to help you in understanding how America handled and survived WW2. And, it is also a good book to understand why people called it "the good war" and why we can probably never have that kind of feeling again. When I closed the book, I wiped a tear from my eye, laid it down beside me, and thought like Doc Bradley: the only heroes on Iwo Jima were those who did not come back.

A Masterpiece of History!.......2007-09-28

My grandfather fought on Bougainville and Guadalcanal which are both mentioned often in this book. To this day grandpa does not speak of the war. After reading this book, I understand why. This book embodies the human spirit and the fight to uproot evil at its core. It is interesting that such a brutal fight took place on an island that had no real life... just a desolate island of ash and embers that emulated a place of death. Deep within the bowels of the island held a garrison of approximately 22,000 Japanese that were determined to fight to extinction and that is what they did.

Bradley and Powers do a wonderful job describing the Marines training as well as the actions on Iwo Jima. The fact that I came away from reading this book more knowledgeable about the self-sacrifices all Marines made on Iwo Jima, makes my own service in the Marines (1993-1997) a worth while endeavor that I hold near and dear to my heart.

Semper Fi to those that served and especially to Ron Powers and James Bradley for taking the time to research and write an unforgettable and accurate masterpiece of history!

6 people. 1 flag, 1 photo........2007-08-21

James Bradley writes an amazing tribute to his father in this book about the "photo."
The book follows the lives of 6 men from birth until death. Each one of them is unique and has their own story. They all have something in common, and that is that they were all in the photo.
This is NOT a war book, it is a biography of 6 men. A great book!

WOW!.......2007-08-01

This book was AMAZING!!! I knew next to nothing about the Battle of Iwo Jima before reading this book and I learned SO much about the fight for Japan and about what it was like to be a U.S. Marine during WWII.

It is an INCREDIBLE read and a great education, too.

Disappointed.......2007-07-29

I am not sure if it is the fact that the Audiobook is an abridged version but I just didn't find the story that compelling. Somewhat repetitive and too concerned about details which I found boring and uninteresting.
I was looking for a historical account (like the much better "1776" or "Team of Rivals") but this is more like an afterschool special.

Words of Wisdom for Our World: The Precautions and Counsels of St. John of the Cross

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Words of Wisdom for Our World: The Precautions and Counsels of St. John of the Cross
Susan Annette Muto , and Saint John of the Cross
Manufacturer: ICS Publications Institute of Carmelite Studi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Flags of Our Fathers: A Young People's Edition

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Flags of Our Fathers: A Young People's Edition
James Bradley , and Ron Powers
Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440229200
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Book Description

Was George Washington Really the Father of Our Country?: A Clinical Geneticist Looks at World History

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History makes genetics more interesting.

Was George Washington Really the Father of Our Country?: A Clinical Geneticist Looks at World History
Robert Marion
Manufacturer: Perseus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

History makes genetics more interesting........2000-10-11

As a genetics student, I found it incredibly interesting to look at historical figures and figure out why or why not they may have had a particular genetic disease. I think this book would be interesting for anyone who may want to learn more about genetic diseases because it makes it much more interesting knowing who these people are that the diseases may relate to. Robert Marion ties together historical, genetic, and social perspectives. He brings up speculative points such as how the person and the world might have been different if the historical figure had not had the disease, how the disease made them become that historical figure. It's a book that keeps you hooked like a mystery novel and is not too technical for anyone to read.

Our First Revolution: The Remarkable British Upheaval That Inspired America's Founding Fathers

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YES, this is a very readable, and interesting, book (notwithstanding the critical remarks of others here).
When will they put out the edited version?
There was nothing glorious about this revolution
Lessons from History
Popular History At Its Best

Our First Revolution: The Remarkable British Upheaval That Inspired America's Founding Fathers
Michael Barone
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1400097924
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Book Description

The ideals of freedom and individual rights that inspired America’s Founding Fathers did not spring from a vacuum. Along with many other defining principles of our national character, they can be traced directly back to one of the most pivotal events in British history—the late-seventeenth-century uprising known as the Glorious Revolution.

In a work of popular history that stands with recent favorites such as David McCullough’s 1776 and Joseph J. Ellis’s Founding Brothers, Michael Barone brings the story of this unlikely and largely bloodless revolt to American readers and reveals that, without the Glorious Revolution, the American Revolution may never have happened.

Unfolding in 1688–1689, Britain’s Glorious Revolution resulted in the hallmarks of representative government, guaranteed liberties, the foundations of global capitalism, and a foreign policy of opposing aggressive foreign powers. But as Barone shows, there was nothing inevitable about the Glorious Revolution. It sprang from the character of the English people and depended on the talents, audacity, and good luck of two men: William of Orange (later William III of England), who launched history’s last successful cross-channel inva sion, and John Churchill, an ancestor of Winston, who commanded the forces of the deposed James II but crossed over to support William one fateful November night.

The story of the Glorious Revolution is a rich and riveting saga of palace intrigue, loyalty and shocking betrayal, and bold political and military strategizing. With narrative drive, a sure command of historical events, and unforgettable portraits of kings, queens, soldiers, parliamentarians, and a large cast of full-blooded characters, Barone takes an episode that has fallen into unjustified obscurity and restores it to the prominence it deserves. Especially now, as we face enemies who wish to rid the world of the lasting legacies of the Glorious Revolution—democracy, individual rights, and capitalism among them—it is vitally important that we understand the origins of these blessings.

Customer Reviews:

YES, this is a very readable, and interesting, book (notwithstanding the critical remarks of others here)........2007-09-08

"Absolutism, seemingly modern and efficient, seemed the way of the future" up until the late 17th century, "Yet in the long run absolutism did not prevail."

"Under the penal laws passed during the reign of Elizabeth I, English men and women were required to attend Church of England services once a week and to take communion three times a year, with penalties including a fine of 20 pounds a month or one-third of the income of one's estate." (Hence the prohibition in the American Constitution that the United States shall have no official church.) And "In March 1673, Parliament also passed the Test Act, requiring public officials to take communion in the Church of England and swear an oath of allegiance denouncing the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, which holds that the blood and body of Christ are literally taken in the Eucharist." "This would disqualify James [II] and other Catholics from public office." Yet James still reached the throne upon the death of his brother Charles in 1885. And then the blow-back began as James began favoring adherents of his adopted faith (having converted in 1669) to the detriment of other Christians.

The English Parliament, largely composed of the latter, as could be expected resisted such efforts by James II, but alas would be pressed to be able to prevail over their sovereign's will. And that was the crux of the matter---the bifurcation of interests of the crown and Parliament, and the inability of one to check the other from excessive zeal on occasion. Hence the opportunity for William of Orange, whose wife was James' eldest daughter and, like William, suitably Protestant for the Protestant country of England. William's goal for his expedition, in his own words: "intended for no other design but to have a free and lawful Parliament installed;" ie., to protect the English against arbitrary government, the sort James II was accused of engaging in. William was as good as his word herein and thus, consequently, in Mr Barone's words "This improbable revolution [1688-89] did much to shape the world in which we live today." And Parliament in England has met every year since 1689. It's a fascinating story, well told by Mr. Barone. Interestingly, as well, since 1701 heirs to the royal throne have been barred from becoming or marrying Catholics as a safeguard to this Protestant land. And just in August of 2007 the issue was raised when it was learned that Peter Phillips, the current queen's eldest grandson, was to be engaged to a Roman Catholic. Currently Phillips is tenth in line to the throne. If he was to remain in the succession his bride-to-be will have to formally give up her membership in the Catholic Church. An announcement is expected either way before their wedding. Yet another example of how 1688-89 lives on, in addition to it being, in Mr. Barone's view, akin to America's First Revolution. It's a most worthy book, and argument. Cheers

When will they put out the edited version?.......2007-09-04

I very much expected to enjoy this book, interested as I am in English history. However, having only reached page 102, I can't help but feel that I'm reading an unedited first draft rather than a finished product. Disappointingly, the book appears to be full of typos, contradictions of fact, and bewildering and clumsy constructions.

To give a few examples:

* On page 6, the author is discussing the populations of various areas at the time of the Glorious Revolution. He writes: "Britain's North American colonies had about 250,000." But then, at the end of the same long and confusing paragraph, he writes, "...Spain's Latin American colonies had approximately 10 million, while the English North American colonies had only 280,000." I kept looking for the signal phrase that would indicate that the numbers 250,000 and 280,000 are meant to refer to different things, but I can't find it.

* On page 24, the author writes that "John Evelyn heard the sermon at the king's chapel...." I don't believe that Evelyn had previously been introduced in the book, and there is no explanation of who he is. He is mentioned at least one other time, again with no clue as to who he is, on page 27. But then, on page 49, the author introduces a quotation from Evelyn's diary with this phrase: "As John Evelyn, a Kent landowner who seems to have known everyone in London, noted in his diary...." Wouldn't it be better to give us that short explanation of who Evelyn was the first time he's mentioned?

* On page 97, the author introduces "one of the most remarkable characters of the period, Robert Spencer, the Earl of Sutherland." However, later in the paragraph, he refers to him not as Sutherland, but as Sunderland. He refers to him once again as Spencer, and then calls him Sunderland from there forward. I had to keep going back to make sure we were still talking about the same guy.

* On page 100, the author writes: "Sarah encouraged Anne to restrict pressure from James and his queen to convert to Catholicism." Shouldn't that be "resist pressure"?

It may be that in one or more of these examples, I've missed some key phrase that would make all clear. But I don't think so. Rather, it appears that the book is just poorly edited. And this apparent sloppiness has made me a bit distrustful of the information I'm getting in the book. The story is interesting, but I hope they put out an edited version sometime soon.

There was nothing glorious about this revolution.......2007-09-04

If a treasonous conspiracy to put a Dutch usurper on the throne of England is your idea of "glorious," then Barone's thesis -- that the usurpation of 1688 was a great leap forward for liberty -- will appeal to you. In reality, "the Liberties of England" which William of Orange pledged to defend on his banners were already well established, both in England and, in various forms, on Continental Europe. England's Common Law tradition, which predates 1688 by centuries, was a successful fusion of canon (Church) law and feudal customs. Likewise, Catholic scholars like Robert Bellarmine had refuted "the divine right of kings" asserted by England's Protestant King James I. In short, English -- and thus American -- liberty owes more to medieval Catholic scholars and pre-Revolution traditions than conspiring nobles and usurping Dutch kings.

Lessons from History.......2007-09-01

You should read of these events in British History in order to understand not only modern Britain political workings, but also, the great impact they had in the governing principles adopted by the colonists who established the United States.

Popular History At Its Best.......2007-09-01

Mr. Barone's thesis is fascinating, and he presents his case with style and solid research. This is an excellent read for anyone interested in Anglo-American history.

Faith of Our Sons: A Father's Wartime Diary

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Dan
Tells How his Family Works
an incredible journey of how a military family feels
Frank Schaeffer's words carry an important message
True to my experience

Faith of Our Sons: A Father's Wartime Diary
Frank Schaeffer
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786713224

Book Description

In 1998, novelist Frank Schaeffer’s eighteen-year-old son, John, joined the marines straight out of prep school. Their ensuing journey, recounted in Keeping Faith: A Father-Son Story About Love and the United States Marine Corps, struck a fervent chord among the many Americans with a family member in the military, inspired personal communications from three American presidents, and propelled the book and the authors through many printings and onto Oprah, 20/20 and the New York Times extended bestseller’s list. In Faith of Our Sons, Frank Schaeffer picks up his family’s ongoing story as Corporal John Schaeffer is deployed to the Middle East on the day Gulf War II begins. Schaeffer’s powerfully moving and timely account of the universal experience of losing a child—either temporarily or permanently—to war and his attendant emotions (from pride to panic to rage and back again) is punctuated throughout by the voices of the many others in Frank’s situation, thousands of other parents and children, who continue to pour their hearts out to the Schaeffers in countless letters since the publication of Keeping Faith: from those waiting anxiously for loved ones to come home to those who know they never will.

Customer Reviews:

Dan.......2007-07-04

An amazing book. A book every liberal should read. It will clearly test every liberals theology and create ground for their head to be turned back toward what is real and those principals that really make a country & individual. Lets save our country--start the draft!

Tells How his Family Works.......2004-12-30

My uncles have told me this is a good book, but i have not read it. I am reviewing it because my uncle told me it was good and true, since i have cousins who were marines, from 1985 to 1998. My uncle also served but not in the marines, and was surprised at this story of faith.

an incredible journey of how a military family feels.......2004-11-28

Frank Schaeffer is a fantastic author and an excellant speaker. I met Mr.Schaeffer at a convention in Indy and he's very passionate about our military! This books lets the reader feel what it's like to send a son off to war. It's a must-read for everyone today whether you have a family member serving our country or not. We all know someone serving.

Frank Schaeffer's words carry an important message.......2004-05-31

Yesterday, May 29th, I watched the World War II Memorial dedication on TV. I was very moved by the program and had a overwhelming feeling this memorial on the Washington Mall is long overdue. I'm glad it's now open and look forward to taking my mother to see it in October (she's a WWII vet). I then watched Frank Schaeffer's C-Span Book TV presentation, then bought a copy of the book. I'm ordering additional copies through Amazon.com. His talk was straight forward and truthful. Our servicemen and women are treated poorly, and deserve so much more. These are the people that watch our backs, allow us to sleep at night and uphold our freedom, yet their pay and benefits are pitifully low. I applaud Frank Schaeffer for speaking up. This truly is a scandel. Our politicians should be ashamed their children are not serving, but they don't have any problem sending other young adults into harm's way. They certainly have no problem lipping "be of service to your country". This goes for Democrats and Republicans alike. Now it's time they walk the walk, and quit grandstanding for the media. Imagine what our country would be like without the wonderful and dedicated military. One additional note, my 4.0 GPA college bound daughter has deferred college in order to serve. It's her decision, of course we are nervous but very proud. By the way, she does have a college fund. Thank you Frank Schaeffer for being the voice of many. MH

True to my experience.......2004-05-30

As the brother of a Marine who has recently come home from Combat, I can vouch for the realistic portrayal that this well written volume offers of the inner life of those who stay behind. Frank and John Schaeffer's two books really tell it like it is. Like Frank and his family, I was (and am) so proud of my brother, and yet like them, I really suffered knowing what might happen to him. Reading this book confirmed for me just how devastating it would be to my own parents if anything where to happen to my brother. Frank is willing to go where so few men are willing to go in his open discussion of the feelings of love, pride and fear he has concerning his son and the affect these feelings have on his relationship with the other members of his family. I have watched fights in my family that I know were not about a burnt dinner but really about no email from my brother for a week. Frank reveals what so many of us know; we can watch ourselves do things and know that we are not in control; we can even know why we are not in control and yet still be powerless to help ourselves. Despite this somewhat dark insight I felt uplifted by this book. This is a slice of my life. I suspect it is a slice of the American experience.

World of Our Fathers: The Journey of the East European Jews to America and the Life They Found and Made

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An very highly recommended addition to community and academic library's Judaic Studies and American History collections

World of Our Fathers: The Journey of the East European Jews to America and the Life They Found and Made
Irving Howe
Manufacturer: Galahad Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0883658828

Customer Reviews:

An very highly recommended addition to community and academic library's Judaic Studies and American History collections.......2006-03-15

Originally published in 1976, this new edition of World Of Our Fathers: The Journey Of The East European Jews To The Life They Found And Made by the late Irving Howe (1920-1993) is the inspirational history of the Eastern European Jewish migration from when and why it began in the 1880's to the situational struggle so many new immigrants found when they arrive on the streets of New York. A vividly written and often disturbing story of the discriminatory barriers and even hostile treatment European jews experienced as newly arriving immigrants into the ever-expanding cauldron of American multiethnic culture, World Of Our Fathers is an very highly recommended addition to community and academic library's Judaic Studies and American History collections.

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World of Our Fathers
Irving Howe
Manufacturer: Harcourt Brace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H2AY34

Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima (Young Reader's Abridged Edition)

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Excellent insight into our Fathers
A real eye-opener!
"Flags of Our Fathers" - A Timely Look at a Bloody Battle in Our History
1/400th of a second in time
The real story of Iwo Jima

Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima (Young Reader's Abridged Edition)
James Bradley , and Ron Powers
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0385730640
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Book Description

New York Times bestseller, now adapted for young readers, Flags of Our Fathers is the unforgettable chronicle of perhaps the most famous moment in American military history: the raising of the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima.
Here is the true story behind the immortal photograph that has come to symbolize the courage and indomitable will of America. In February 1945, American Marines plunged into the surf at Iwo Jima–and into history. Through a hail of machine-gun and mortar fire that left the beaches strewn with comrades, they battled to the island’s highest peak. And there, they raised a flag. The son of one of the flag raisers has written a powerful account of six very different men who came together in the heroic battle.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent insight into our Fathers.......2007-01-03

Great book showing how a major world event shaped the lives of a whole generation. I gained a lot of insight from reading this book.

A real eye-opener!.......2006-10-24

I consider myself knowledgeable about history, especially WW2. After reading just half of "Flags of our Fathers'" I realize how much I 'didn't' know about this part of the war. Most of my research was of the european theatre.
I am so glad I purchased this book. It makes me feel so humble as to my own time spent in uniform for I never had to endure or sacrifice what these young men did.
Anyone thinking of not voting should read this and be sure to vote for these young men gave everything so that we could have that right. Even more they went through hell before they did it.
Do yourself a favor and get this book.
Richard Neal Huffman - Author of Dreams In Blue: The Real Police

"Flags of Our Fathers" - A Timely Look at a Bloody Battle in Our History .......2006-10-20

Quite a while ago, Nick Olmsted, a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy, recommended that I read "Flags of Our Fathers." I am glad that I finally got around to taking his advice. This story struck me on many levels at once, and this seems to be an opportune time to share some of my thoughts about this remarkable book, written by James Bradley, the son of one of the six Marines whose iconic picture of the raising of the flag over Iwo Jima riveted a war-weary nation.

The film based on this book is due to be released tomorrow. My friend, Nate Fick, former Marines Corps officer and author of "One Bullet Away," had invited me to attend a special screening of the film tomorrow evening in Boston. There will be many Marines present for this gala event to raise funds for a scholarship program for the families of Marines who have fallen in combat. Here is how Nate described to me the work of the scholarship committee:

The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation will be showing a benefit premier of "Flags of Our Fathers" at the AMC Theater on Boston Common on Friday 20 October. Military guests of honor will include BGen John Kelly, legislative assistant to CMC, former ACMC's Generals Nyland and Neal, and perhaps others.

For those who don't know, the MCSF is committed to funding higher education for the children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen, especiallythose killed in action. It's a wonderful organization, and one I've been proud to be involved with during the past several years.

So, before I am influenced by the film's portrayal of the events on Iwo Jima and the stories of the six men - Harlon Block, James Bradley, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, Frank Sousley, Mike Strank - whose picture became symbolic of a nation at war, I will share my take on the book. A review of the film will follow in a few days.

James Bradley was motivated to write "Flags of Our Fathers" after the death of his father. As the family sorted through the papers that John Bradley left behind, they found three cardboard boxes full of photos and documents related to Iwo Jima. Finding this secret stash shocked the Bradleys, since James had refused to discuss his role as a famous flagraiser.

"I hungered to know the heroic part of my dad. Try as I might I could never get him to tell me about it.

`The real heroes of Iwo Jima,' he said once, coming as close as he ever would, `are the guys who didn't come back.'" (Page 4)

My siblings and I had a similar experience. My father, who served in India with the U.S. Army Air Corps, hardly ever talked about his years of service that cost him four years of his life and compromised his health until he died at the relatively young age of 65. It was as if he had locked that part of his life away in some inaccessible vault. The closest he came to revealing that chapter of his life was to lead us in singing Army marching songs that seemed to play in his head like a continuous loop. Our frequent family drives in the country were filled with many hours of such songs. We whiled away the hours and the miles by singing "Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah," "Alice Blue Gown," "Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder," and "I've Been Working on the Railroad." I felt as if Bradley had touched a special rewind button when he wrote these words about the memorial service the family held when they were able to visit Iwo Jima in 1998:

"When I was finished with my talk, I couldn't look up at the faces in front of me. I sensed the strong emotion in the air. Quietly, I suggested that in honor of my dad, we all sing the only two songs John Bradley ever admitted to knowing: `Home on the Range' and `I've Been Working on the Railroad.'" (page 14)

Bradley chose an epigraph for the second chapter of the book that is timeless and haunting:

"All wars are boyish, and are fought by boys." Herman Melville (Page 17)

Bradley lays out in clear terms why he chose to undertake the project of writing the book and sharing the stories of the Iwo Jima flagraisers:

"That was the point, I reminded myself, the point of my quest: to bring these boys back to life, or a kind of life, to let them live again in the country's memory. Starting with my father, and continuing with the other five.

That is how we always keep our beloved dead alive, isn't it? By telling stories abut them; true stories. It works that way with our national past as well. Keeping it alive by telling stories." (Page 17)

I have long been a strong believer in the power of narrative to capture our imaginations and our hearts. The job that James Bradley and Ron Powers have done in this book reaffirms my faith in the power of a well-told story. By Bradley bringing back to life the six Iwo Jima flagraisers and their comrades who fell in battle there, I felt as if he were also connecting me to a piece of my father's history and bringing him back to life, as well. As you can imagine, reading this book evoked powerful emotions.

This book does a very effect job of contrasting the sanitized view that civilians have of war with the messy reality experienced by those in the midst of the fighting:

"To the civilian noncombatants, war was `knowable' and `understandable.' Orderly files of men and machines marching off to war, flags waving, patriotic songs playing. War could be clear and logical to those who had not touched its barb.

But battle veterans quickly lost a sense of war's certitude. Images of horror they could scarcely comprehend invaded their thoughts tortured their minds. Bewildered and numbed, they cold not unburden themselves to their civilian counterparts, who could never comprehend through mere words.

Mike, Ira, and Harlon - these three boys back from the Pacific Heart of Darkness - now embraced death. Two were convinced that their next battle would be their last. And one lingered on for ten years before he was consumed by a living nightmare." (Page 90)

"Today, a battle-scarred Ira Hayes would be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrome, and there would be understanding and treatment available to him. But in the late forties and early fifties, Ira had to suffer alone. Suffer daily with images of and misplaced guilt over his 'good buddies who didn't come back.'" (Page 333)

Post traumatic stress disorder - or PTSD - reared its ugly head over Iwo Jima and planted its flag in the hearts of those who fought there - and who have fought in every subsequent battle from Pusan and Pork Chop Hill to Khe Sahn and Hamburger Hill to Tikrit and Falujah. (I will return to the topic of PTSD in a series of articles in the coming weeks.)

Throughout the book, Bradley does justice to the legacy of the Iwo Jima flagraisers by addressing an issue that haunted each of them - the question of what it truly means to be a hero. The flagraisers felt that fate had singled them out for notoriety and the label of "hero," but each man felt in his heart that the real heroes were the ones who did not live to see the flag raised or the parades planned or the War Bond rallies held.

"And finally, I found a full-page newspaper ad from the Seventh Bond Tour, which he had participated in. It screamed: `You've seen the photo, you've heard him on radio, now in person in Milwaukee County Stadium, see Iwo Jima hero John H. Bradley!'

Hero. In that misunderstood and corrupted word, I think lay the final reason for John Bradley's silence.

Today the word `hero' has been diminished, confused with `celebrity.' But in my father's generation the word meant something.

Celebrities seek fame. They take actions to get attention. Most often, the actions they take have no particular moral content. Heroes are heroes because they have risked something to help others. Their actions involve courage. Often, those heroes have been indifferent to the public's attention. But at least, the hero could understand the focus of the emotion. However he valued or devalued his own achievement, it did stand as an accomplishment.

The moment that saddled my father with the label of `hero' contained no action worthy of remembering. When he was shown the photo for the first time, he had no idea what he was looking at. He did not recognize himself or any of the others. The raising of that pole was as forgettable as tying the laces of his boots.

The irony, of course, was that Doc Bradley was indeed a hero on Iwo Jima - many times over. The flagraising, in fact, might be seen as one of the few moments in which he was not acting heroically. In 1998 Dr. James Wittmeier, my father's medical supervisor in Iwo, sat beside me silently contemplating my request for him to explain, or speculate on, why my dad never talked about that time. Finally, after many long minutes, he turned to me and softly said, `You ever hold a broken raw egg in your hands? Well, that's how your father and I help young men's heads.' The heads of real heroes, dying in my father's arms.

So, he knew real heroism. He could separate the real thing from the image, the fluff. And no matter how many millions of people thought otherwise, he understood that this image of heroism was not the real thing." (Pages 260-261)

"Flags of Our Fathers" is a moving and loving tribute to heroes - real and perceived. I am glad that Nick Olmsted pointed the way to it. I hope that Clint Eastwood and Stephen Spielberg's translation of the story to the screen will honor the spirit of the men who fought on Iwo Jima.

Al

1/400th of a second in time.......2006-10-19

"It's funny what a picture can do": 1/400th of a second in time.

I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie. Will Eastwood respect the book?, I believe it is in his nature to do so.

The true story surrounding the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi in Iwo Jima. Well written, with tales of heroism; hard not to shed a tear.

We will learn the names of the marines who made famous that one day in time; who they were, their hometowns, their progression from training, to individual deployment, to the forming of the squad. Finally progressing to the day they meet and each individuals final fate.

The Japanese were as phantoms, fighting to the very last man. Our marines had to fight for every square inch on a volcanic wasteland. The initial fight was for Mt. Suribachi. But at the raising of the flag (the second one to be raised) the battle was not over. The horrific losses were just beginning. Why could they have not just starved the island out?

"The heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who didn't come back"

Lets thank those who were "just doing their duty".

Wish you well
Scott

The real story of Iwo Jima.......2006-09-20

A remarkable tribute to ordinary soldiers accidentally thrust into an extraordinary situation by one of the best known wartime photographs in WW 2 history. A loving tribute from a son to his humble father, a young man who did his duty as he had been trained, and who came back home to do what thousands of servicemen did-try to pick up 'normal' lives and put the horrors of war behind them.
This book in paperback is an important read for everyone who questions the decisions made by soldiers and their commanders under fire, against an enemy with no real regard for human life and dignity as Americans have come to expect. Especially now, as our troops are involved in an effort to keep the enemy from bringing terror to our homeland, just as they did back in 1945. In every generation, there are ordinary people who are called upon to do extraordinary things, as we witnessed on 9/11/01 (this generations 'Pearl Harbor'). Bradley has done an excellent job, both with this book and 'Flyboys' to describe the Pacific war effort and to make it very real to the reader. I hope that his research and writing with regard to what is now termed 'the Greatest Generation' continues.

The Raising of a President: The Mothers and Fathers of Our Nation's Leaders

Average customer rating:

Presidential History Fans should add this excellent book to their bookshelves!
New Slant on History
Held my interest....WOW!
Will Never See Them The Same
No other books

The Raising of a President: The Mothers and Fathers of Our Nation's Leaders
Doug Wead
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0743497279

Book Description

Our greatest presidents have entered the Oval Office armed with overwhelming ambition, intellect, and ideals. But were these characteristics evident in youth? What are the family circumstances that have created our presidents? How did their upbringing shape their future -- and ours?

In The Raising of a President, bestselling author Doug Wead goes where no presidential biographer has gone before: straight to the childhood homes of America's greatest leaders. Wead analyzes the types of families in which they were reared, and offers fascinating psychological profiles based on his findings. Using presidential letters and personal correspondence -- as well as notes from his own private conversations with six presidential families -- Wead brilliantly portrays the early lives, loves, and political awakenings of George Washington; John Adams and the rest of America's first dynasty; Lincoln, who never betrayed his humble roots; Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, each raised in prominent political households; and the once and future commanders in chief Bush.

More than just political biography, The Raising of a President sheds new light on America¹s presidents, who were not only born but made.

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"""God bless my mother, all I am or ever hope to be I owe to her."" -- Abraham Lincoln What are the family circumstances that have created our presidents? How did their upbring-ing shape their future and ours? New York Times bestselling author Doug Wead answers these questions in one of the most comprehensive studies of presidential families to date. When one thinks about the leadership qualities of George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt or the intellectual prowess of John Adams and Abraham Lincoln, it is hard to imagine them as children. It is even more difficult to envision the parents of our leaders, especially the larger-than-life idols of our political past. Our greatest presidents have entered the Oval Office armed with overwhelming ambition, intellect, and political savvy. But were these characteristics evident in childhood? The Raising of a President is a groundbreaking look at the parents of the American presidents, full of never-before-seen facts and anecdotes, as well as psychological profiles based on Wead's findings. He analyzes the types of families into which our presidents were born, and sheds a fascinating light on how their destinies were shaped during childhood. Using countless presidential correspondences and letters, as well as notes from hours of his own private conversations and interviews with six presidents and first ladies, Wead focuses specifically on the early life of our first president, George Washington; John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and the making of our nation's first political empire; the humble beginnings of our greatest president, Abraham Lincoln; the privileged upbringing of Franklin Delano Roosevelt; the ambitious rise of John Fitzgerald Kennedy; and the ""quiet dynasty"" led by George H. W. Bush and his son, George W. Bush. Throughout The Raising of a President, readers will find that the circumstances and events that would destroy most children were often the very things that sparked greatness in our nation's future leaders. These are the stories of the presidents' parents, but in a truer sense, they are the stories of the presidents themselves, from a perspective that is long overdue. "

Customer Reviews:

Presidential History Fans should add this excellent book to their bookshelves!.......2006-08-01

Doug Wead first hit the betseller lists with his book on the children of the Presidents of the United States. In this sequel
he explores the lives of the parents of America's Chief Executives. It is a fascinating journey into the past in an area of presidential history that is little explored,
Wead gives brief biographies of all the presidential parents from George Washington through George W. Bush. Extended chapters focus on six presidential families:
1. George Washington-His father died when he was young; he did not get along with overdominating mother Mary Ball Washington.
2. The Adams family featuring a well drawn portrait of John and Abigail Adams; their influential parents and their brilliant son John Quincy who served as the 6th President of the US.
3. The little known story of Abraham Lincoln's hardscrabble poverty ridden youth on the Kentucky and Indiana frontier. His
father Thomas was an ignorant brute who often beat Abe; His mother Nancy Hanks and his stepmother Sarah Bush Johnston gave
Lincoln the gift of learning, love and set our greatest chief executive on the road to glory. Lincoln had a sad, difficult and
tragic life.
4. The family life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt the son of the wealthy James Roosevelt and his wife the indomitable Sarah
Roosevelt. James died while FDR was a boy; Sarah was one of the
strongest mothers in our history. She was the third party in FDR's marriage to Eleanor. Sarah made FDR a mother's boy but was also the greatest influence in his development.
5. The family of John F. Kennedy was dominated by Joe Kennedy to made millons; was often allied to the mob and was a womanizer of Olympian proportions. His mother Rose was often away on shopping trips to Europe and did not give Kennedy the love he craved.
6. The quiet dynasty of the Bush family is explored in succinct
but savvy chapters. We met US Senator Prescott Bush; his son
George Herbert Walker Bush our 41st President and our current
occupant of the Oval Office: George W. Bush. The Bush family is notable for the strong women it has produced. Dorothy Bush the
tough, tennis champion spouse of Prescott; the strong Barbara
Bush who modeled herself after Dorothy and Laura Bush.
Wead has done a good job of sorting myth from the facts. This
book can be used as an excellent reference book as well as a
great read.
I recommend this book with high marks!

New Slant on History.......2006-02-22

This is an excellent book with a slant on history no one has ever delved into in any depth. It was fascinating to read about the one group of people who had the most vested interest in raising our future leaders.

Held my interest....WOW!.......2005-11-26

As an extremely amatuer historian with ADD and with a fascination for Abraham Lincoln, I really liked this. The research that I have done on my own, albeit not extensive, on Lincoln seems to jive with the author's conclusion. I have no reason to doubt the truthfulness of his writings on the other presidents.

Books rarely hold my interest, and this one did.

Will Never See Them The Same.......2005-10-22

I was waiting for this one to come out in paperback but I guess the sales keep humming along so I finally went out and bought one. Wow! it was worth it. This is a classic that will have a long shelf life in our family. I will never see the presidents the same again. They are like the rest of us - little children inside grown up bodies. The treatment on FDR and his mother is riveting. Much new here from the diaries and interviews. I knew that mothers were prominet in the lives of their sons but the massive evidence - the reoccuring events that these men have in common is remarkable. It makes sense that the "absent father" is no coincidence either.

No other books.......2005-10-21

I like Mr. Wead's books because they offer accurate history from a different perspective. While they don't belabor psychological phenomenon when they encounter it, neither do they ignore it when it slaps you in the face. There is so much new in these books, taken from the diaries of these children or parents of the presidents. And there is so much that one can learn about parenting. I can't wait for the book on siblings.

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