Recommended (with a few quibbles), January 6, 2004
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Reviewer:
Bob from Essex Junction, VT United States
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Many reviewers say that this book compares very poorly with
Bradley's earlier book. Maybe it's because I have not read Flags
of Our Fathers, but I thoroughly enjoyed Flyboys. Unlike some
reviewers, I found the background information on Commodore
Perry, Billy Mitchell, and Japanese tradition extremely
informative and valuable.
Given the fact that there just isn't all that much
information about what happened to the captured airmen, if
Bradley had not provided this context, there probably wouldn't
have been enough material there for a book. As it is, some
reviewers complain about his wallowing in the atrocities
committed against the Americans.
Bradley is on solid ground in pointing out that both sides
committed barbaric acts against civilians, and that different
standards were applied to the Japanese. Curtis Lemay himself
admitted that had we lost he would have been tried as a war
criminal. Speaking of which, I completely agree with the many
reviewers who complained about Bradley's calling Curtis Lemay
"Curtis" and Roosevelt "the Dutchman".
I found it bizarre and inconsistent. He refers to General
MacArthur by his last name. Why was LeMay singled out?
Unprofessional and distracting. Despite these flaws, I think the
book is well worth reading. It put a human face on a small part
of WW2, and again reinforces (lest we forget) what those young
guys went through, and also what their loved ones endured. It is
a very quick read, and I think that is always a good indicator
of a well written book. I look forward to Flags of Our Fathers. |
