Comments on: Photos from Iwo Jima

By: vcferlita

vcferlita — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 01:50:56 +0000

Wow, this was very interesting and informative. Great pictures too!

By: gradyman

gradyman — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 00:56:55 +0000

Awesome story, and great pictures.

Thank You!

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 23:13:39 +0000

Good piece, Bryan.

If today’s press reported on the battle, from its perspective as part of the anti-war left, the Japanese strategy would probably work.

It would be a very different world.

By: Woman Honor Thyself

Woman Honor Thyself — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:50:30 +0000

InspiratioN…

Photographer whose picture on Iwo Jima ranks among the most famous of WWII dies at age 94.

……

By: Entelechy

Entelechy — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 20:21:42 +0000

Thank you Bryan for your comprehensive and dignified effort on such a solemn subject and occasion.

28,738 dead, from both sides, in one month. And then, against all odds, imagination and hope…

But here’s evidence of how things are now between the US and Japan. Next to the US monument atop Suribachi is a Japanese monument.

Sometimes world events take an unexpected turn in the most miraculous ways. We know of so many. I remain hopeful, against all challenges, odds and obstacles.

By: robo

robo — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 18:04:04 +0000

What a difference in the press during the battle of Iwo Jima and the reporting of today…it makes me want to encourage the “media” to be removed from covering any of our troops in a war zone.

War is ugly. Bad things happen and perhaps the “civillans” should not see it. I know that there are some who will say tha the public has a right to know but it seems like we are fighting the media in addition to the terrorists.

When the “media” allows itself to be used with photoshoped and staged pictures I do not see why they should be allowed to help the enemy.

Where are the Ernie Pyle’s and Joe Rosenthal’s of today?

By: Kid from Brooklyn

Kid from Brooklyn — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:51:05 +0000

Great piece, Bryan; bravo. A solid, solid read, all around.

Normally, I’d beef with your “ugly page” reference (red and gold are Marine Corps colors, along with blue), but the quality of your piece far outweighs my desire to engage you in petty interservice snipery. Reminders of these kinds of sacrifices are few and far between today.

Semper Fidelis.

By: labwrs

labwrs — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:17:18 +0000

Beautiful post Bryan.
I appreciate the history lesson, the pictures and your service in the AF!

By: thirteen28

thirteen28 — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:37:59 +0000

Very powerful stuff Bryan, thanks for posting.

I should add that the Japanese strategy on Iwo Jima was to inflict so many casualties on the US forces that we would stop the war and sue for peace. The battle was incredibly bloody. If today’s press reported on the battle, from its perspective as part of the anti-war left, the Japanese strategy would probably work. Thank goodness for Joe Rosenthal, whose iconic photograph taken four days into a month-long battle showed not a quagmire as today’s press would show, and not a shipboard “Mission Accomplished” banner spun into a political hit, but an image of certain victory.

You are absolutely right. Our press might be the worst enemy we have today, for they are the chief culprit in sapping our will to actually win wars, no matter what it takes.

By: Umnumzana

Umnumzana — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:20:19 +0000

I have a bias because of my Marine background; but the Marines on this Island were incredibly brave and they suffered great losses of life. The Flag Raising was simply the symbol for all those brave souls who did not make it past the beaches or get to the top of Mt. Suribachi. It was also a symbol of the bravery and commitment of our military and the people of the United States.

I salute the 4904 Marines and 1082 Sailors that never came home from Iwo Jima!

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:40:46 +0000

No, that was just a statement of fact–Gen. Kuribayashi developed the tunnel network as part of a mass casualty strategy. He and his troops knew that once the battle was on, there was to be no surrender. They would inflict as much pain as possible, hoping to break America’s will to fight and thereby end the war without having to surrender. That’s not really an unusual strategy for a force that knows time and the momentum aren’t on its side. If a) the press had behaved then as it does now and b) we hadn’t had the bomb and the will to use it, his strategy might have worked.

And no, I’m not saying we should use the bomb now in Iraq.

By: Tanya

Tanya — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:36:22 +0000

Neat. I’d be interested in seeing a picture of the plane that was turned into a bunker. I can’t picture what you’re saying about the metal peeling away.

By: honora

honora — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:34:45 +0000

I should add that the Japanese strategy on Iwo Jima was to inflict so many casualties on the US forces that we would stop the war and sue for peace

So this wasn’t an implicit comparison to Iraq? My mistake, my apologies.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:19:27 +0000

The comparison was to press coverage of the war.

By: honora

honora — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:09:04 +0000

There’s a really lovely book “Flags of our Fathers” written by the son of one of the men in the famous photo. Talks about the lives of these men after the war and how the incident affected them.

The comparision of our fight against the Japanese and our situation is Iraq is foolish.

By: Iwo Jima–Amateur Megalomania

Iwo Jima–Amateur Megalomania — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:51:44 +0000

[...] Just go read it. [...]

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:48:13 +0000

There were dozens of Japanese who didn’t stop fighting when Tokyo surrendered, mostly because they didn’t hear about it. They stayed hidden out of site for years after the war. In addition to the two on Iwo Jima, there were several on Guam, Okinawa, the Philippines and elsewhere. The last ones came out of the jungles as old men in the 1980s. They ended up back in Japan, where they were given a quiet hero’s welcome. The two on Iwo Jima were probably processed and sent back to Japan, where they were probably stunned to find out that they had been fighting a war that had been over for six years.

By: High Desert Wanderer

High Desert Wanderer — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:40:16 +0000

Two of those prisoners did not surrender until 1951.

That deserve a little more comment. What happened with them?

By: robo

robo — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:19:57 +0000

Great story and photos…Rest in peace Joe Rosenthal….

By: entagor

entagor — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:19:27 +0000

Awesome. This is the best coverage of the island I have seen. The photos are stirring. Makes me cry.

I wish every schoolkid could see this page

By: EFG

EFG — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:12:29 +0000

Gripping story Bryan.

Well worth the time to read and re-read.