Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima (Youth Edition)

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In the winter of 1945, on the tiny island of Iwo Jima, a ferocious, epic battle was fought, resulting in the loss of more than 48,000 lives and producing what was to become one of the most recognizable symbols of World War II: a photograph of six soldiers raising an American flag on the peak of Mount Suribachi. One of the six, Navy corpsman John Bradley, came away from this historical moment with a deep and mysterious silence about his role in the flag raising. Even his wife heard him speak of it only once in their 47-year marriage. After Bradley's death, his son James began to piece together the facts of his father's heroism, as well as that of the other five men, all of whom became reluctant heroes because of their presence during that fateful instant when the shutter clicked and created a wartime icon.

Based on James Bradley's Flags of Our Fathers for adults, this abridged version for younger readers retains the somewhat terse drama, intense heartbreak, and bittersweet triumph of the original narrative. Through his research on the event and the soldiers (three of the men were killed in combat within days of the flag raising), Bradley explores the dubious nature of heroism and the devastating effects of war. (Ages 14 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Now abridged for young people, 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. 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 for the Pacific’s most crucial island.

Customer Reviews:

Down to earth truth behind the Second World war> Sacrifice,and enduring American spirit.......2007-06-28

Who were these brave young men that fought for their country, nation, and civil liberty? Freedom, fought and paid for by the lives of American youth, veterans of our country's legacy. We didn't back down when the odds were to great; we had fear it would decimate of what we loved, our liveliehood, ideals, and what we stood for. Heroes that proved essential to the wellbeing and life of America. Find out who were the six that raised the steel pole to enstill hope for marines upon that desolate island of Iwo Jima.

World War II.......2007-04-25

A great story about a horrific, but successful battle. Written by the son of one of the flag raisers, it gives a realistic view of the horrors endured, and the magnificent bravery of our boys who went forth in droves to give of themselves, that the rest of us might live in freedom.

Captivating and Honest Truths About Leadership and Devotion To Brothers Lost in War.......2007-04-04

I was given this book by one of my patients and I simply could not put it down. I read it cover to cover in about a day and half. The descpriptions of the War and the men who fought in the battle raged on Iwo Jima were brought alive in this story. It is incredible to think so many people were deceived by the efforts and the spin tallied by the United States during World War 2. Yes, the spin was in the name of a good cause, but it is unfortunate it took so long to tell the real truths about the men who lost their lives and the bloody sacrifices made in the name of freedom in this country. I would strongly recommend this book for anyone who wants to read and better understand what really happened on Iwo Jima and the aftershocks that rippled through our Country for years following this war.

Dr. Warren Bruhl

A great book to read by Trevor Williams.......2007-04-02

This book is a salute to all the men of WWII and especially to those that served in Iwo Jima. It is an awesome book, one of the best books that I have ever read. I couldn't put it down.
James Bradley, the "Author", started to investigate his father Jack's service record, after his death. He never spoke of his time in service and especially what happened on the peak of Mount Suribachi. His father was one of the original 6 people in the famous photo from WWII taken during the flag raising in one of the bloodiest battles in history. The book was very descriptive and graphic, I could picture the battle in my mind.

Wrong book.......2007-03-09

It was not the book I thought was ordered. It was a student version which I didn't want. It is a good book otherwise, was delivered on time with no issues

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.

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS : Heroes of Iwo Jima (LIBRARY OF MILITARY HISTORY)

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FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS : Heroes of Iwo Jima (LIBRARY OF MILITARY HISTORY)
James Bradley
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000TC6AL2

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Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima
James Bradley
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1417738030

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FURTHER ENHANCED MY RESPECT FOR VETERANS, FOR THESE MEN
Truth Is Far More Revealing Than Myth

Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima
James Bradley , and Ron Powers
Manufacturer: Perfection Learning Prebound
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 0756914531

Customer Reviews:

FURTHER ENHANCED MY RESPECT FOR VETERANS, FOR THESE MEN.......2004-11-18

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

Truth Is Far More Revealing Than Myth.......2004-09-22

If you are like me, you have a whole story built up in your mind around one of the most famous photographs in American history -- the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima. If you are also like me, there is little reality behind that story in your mind.

Written by the son of one flag-raising Marine, this amazing story should be read by everyone. It tells a tale of heroism, horrible circumstances, and the lasting consequences of an unexpected event in a compelling, unforgettable way. This book rivals All Quiet on the Western Front for its revealing insights into the nature of war, comradeship, and courage.

To set the stage, Iwo Jima was the first Japanese soil the Marines invaded. The Emperor had issued orders that the ground was to be defended to the last man. Iwo Jima was filled with tunnels that harbored over 20,000 Japanese troops who could shoot from relative safety while Americans were out in the open. The tunnel system was so extensive that Marines would literally be kidnapped while standing next to their buddies, and no one would know where they had gone. Rocks would suddenly open up to reveal mortars.

Tough fighting went on for days. The Marines lost 7,000 dead and had another 15,000 or more wounded out of 70,000 men. Ironically, the worst of the fighting came after the flag photograph, and three of the six Marines in the photograph died in this later action.

As tough as Iwo Jima was, living with the aftermath of the photograph was even harder in many ways. Two of the three survivors had their lives deeply affected in negative ways. The story of all three riveted me more than anything I have read in years.

I read fairly few books about war, but I cannot recommend this book enough to you. As Americans we owe it to those who fought in this battle to remember what actually happened and what the repercussions are. You will be moved at a deeper level than you can possibly imagine by this outstanding book.

Seriously, five stars are just too few for a monumental book like this one. This book is an instant classic that should live for all time!

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Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima
James Bradley
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima
James Bradley , and Ron Powers
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1417642971

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FURTHER ENHANCED MY RESPECT FOR VETERANS, FOR THESE MEN

Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima
James Bradley
Manufacturer: Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Turtleback

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 060628303X

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FURTHER ENHANCED MY RESPECT FOR VETERANS, FOR THESE MEN.......2004-11-18

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FURTHER ENHANED MY RESPECT FOR VETERANS, FOR THESE MEN

Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima
James Bradley
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

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FURTHER ENHANED MY RESPECT FOR VETERANS, FOR THESE MEN.......2004-11-18

Book Description

In the annals of Industrialization, the Soviet experience is unique in its whirlwind rapidity. The vast transformations that shook Europe over the centuries--proletarianization, industrialization, urbanization--were telescoped into a mere decade. The working class grew at an unprecedented rate, changing in size and social composition, and in no other country of the world did women constitute such a significant part of the working class in so short a time. Women at the Gates is the story of a world remade when women entered the waged labor force in unprecedented numbers.

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In the annals of Industrialization, the Soviet experience is unique in its whirlwind rapidity. Even more striking was the critical role of women: in no country of the world did women come to constitute such a significant part of the working class in so short a time. They composed a larger percentage of the working class, filled an unprecedented share of jobs in heavy industry, and served as the first targeted 'reserve' for Soviet labour policy and recruitment. As women undercut the strict hierarchies of skill and gender within the factories, they forced male workers to re-examine their ideas about 'masculine' and 'feminine' work, and women's role in the work place. Using new Russian archival materials, Women at the Gates is the first social history of Soviet women workers in the 1930s.

Women at the Gates: Gender and Industry in Stalin's Russia.(Book Review): An article from: Canadian Journal of History

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Women at the Gates: Gender and Industry in Stalin's Russia.(Book Review): An article from: Canadian Journal of History
Alexandra Popoff
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
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Binding: Digital

Russia | History | Subjects | Books

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This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by Thomson Gale on August 1, 2005. The length of the article is 798 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Women at the Gates: Gender and Industry in Stalin's Russia.(Book Review)
Author: Alexandra Popoff
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 40 Issue: 2 Page: 351(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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