Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley was published in 2000. I listened to the audio version and while I found the beginning a bit slow and documentary/textbook like, I soon found I couldn't stop listening. I also own the printed book, and felt the pictures that were included added to the story.
In
Flags of Our Fathers, James Bradley tells about the five servicemen who raised the flag on Iwo Jima during one the of the bloodiest and most brutal battles of WWII. We've all seen the picture, and James Bradley tells us about these men, one of whom was his father.
We learn why so many of the soldiers of that time could not talk about what they went through. They saw things that no person should ever see, and endured the unendurable. Although I'd heard about Iwo Jim, I didn't really understand the battle that was fought there and why it was so important to win that island, but this book explains all of that. This book also shows that our politicians have a long history of sticking it to our servicemen, and if they would do the right thing, so many of these men and women would be coming home alive instead of in a box or not at all. If the military had been given what it needed, this would have been a far less life costly battle.
I am glad I listened to this book as I feel it is a story well worth knowing. It gave me an even deeper appreciation for our military and their willingness to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
Read to a child today even if that child is you in order to understand more about our country, the world, and history.
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