"Flags Of Our Fathers"

DavidI · 10-21-2006, 07:43 PM

I saw the movie today and was very impressed. The movie was true to the book. I was gripping to say the least. I highly recommend it.

Shut up Patsy and don't add your 2 cents. I don't give a damn what you think, David

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

This is the first movie in a very long time that I've actually wanted to go see before it comes out on DVD or cable.

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Number 1 on my list of movies to see next. Thanks for the recomendation, David!

Randy

alf · 10-22-2006, 02:34 AM

Got to watch this movie and the one that tells the story from the other side, Letters from Iwo Jima also by Eastwood.

We often see war movies that potray it from our perspective; it would be enlightening to see the other perspective.

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by alf
Got to watch this movie and the one that tells the story from the other side, Letters from Iwo Jima also by Eastwood.

We often see war movies that potray it from our perspective; it would be enlightening to see the other perspective.

+1

There is a book called

Tennozan: The Battle of Okinawa and the Atomic Bomb that not only shows the battle from the perspective of the Americans and Japanese soldiers, but also from the perspective of the native Okinawans. One of the best books I've ever read.

Randy

Rodeo · 10-22-2006, 07:06 AM

I heard the author of the book on Imus, the movie is on my short list too.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Looks very good, that Clint, he's all right

fastpat · 10-22-2006, 08:23 AM

___________

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Speaking of movies with the other side's perspective, check out "Stalingrad" made by the same guy that did Das Boot. Even better if you're a German speaker. It's sort of the German version of Saving Private Ryan. Unreal brutality, but shown from the German perspective. Another is "So weit die Fuesse Tragen" or "As Far as the Feet Will Carry" about a German POW in a Soviet labor camp escaping and taking 4 yrs. to walk to Iran. True story too.

legion · 10-22-2006, 06:13 PM

My father-in-law is an extra in "Flags of Our Fathers". I'm going to have to see it...

Moses · 10-24-2006, 05:58 AM

I'm taking my dad and my son to see Flags of Our Fathers this weekend.

KevinP73 · 10-24-2006, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by legion
My father-in-law is an extra in "Flags of Our Fathers". I'm going to have to see it...

My father was an original member of WWII, also served in Korea (survivor of the double nickle campaign) and one tour of duty in Viet Nam. May he rest in Peace with his fellow brothers in arms.

daepp · 10-24-2006, 08:19 AM

I read the book. Do you think Eastwood's Japanese portrayal will cover the part where they would grab our soldiers during the night, drag them into the tunnels, torture them, kill them, then cut off their genitals and stuff them in the poor soldiers mouths? Then they would leave the bodies so the soldiers would see them in the morning. The Japanese brutality towards us and to the Chinese was phenominal in its brutality.

Rich76_911s · Rich76_911s's Garage

I don't know whether I am proud to say or sad to say it, but I will never be 10% of the man any of those young men were.

Moses · 10-24-2006, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by daepp
I read the book. Do you think Eastwood's Japanese portrayal will cover the part where they would grab our soldiers during the night, drag them into the tunnels, torture them, kill them, then cut off their genitals and stuff them in the poor soldiers mouths? Then they would leave the bodies so the soldiers would see them in the morning. The Japanese brutality towards us and to the Chinese was phenominal in its brutality.

I don't mean to start an argument, but the US Marines in the pacific were not outdone in that regard. War is brutal. We won, so we get to tell the stories.

daepp · 10-24-2006, 09:28 AM

I know of no credible incidents of brutality by the US Marines the likes of which were wisited upon them. War is indeed brutal, but surely you do not suggest the same level of torture was done by the Marines. Have you ever heard of Nanking? The Japanese "work" on the innocents was well documented:
Nanking photos

Moses · 10-24-2006, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by daepp

Have you ever heard of Nanking?
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Few governments have systematically brutalised a civilian population like the Japanese did the Chinese.

Military matters are a different concern. My father was a US Marine on Guadalcanal. Only in recent years has he been able to share the cold, hard truth about what we did there. Nothing the Japanese did to our soldiers in the tunnels of Iwo eclipsed what the Marines could dish out. I do not judge my father or the Marine Corp. War is brutal. Period.

daepp · 10-24-2006, 09:52 AM

I thank your father for his service.

I do not believe that American Marines comitted torture or other war crimes on the Japanese in WWII. I am sure many were blwn up, shot, burned etc., and that at times it became very brutal. I am sure that under some condition some Marines may have gone too far in their pursuit of victory on some islands somewhere, however this was not the norm. The US even had punishment under the UCMJ for misconduct - I doubt the Japanese did!

Moneyguy1 · 10-24-2006, 10:18 AM

On the history channel, they had filmed interviews with Iwo Jima survivors. One might say that things happened in the heat of battle that civilized people would find hard to believe. I cannot imagine what it was like to be in the midst of such brutality. If our boys did a little "skeet shooting" on the side, I do not know who could blame them. One interviewee told about troops going out in the morning and executing wounded Japanese as they lay. The policy on both sides was "no prisoners".

Moses · 10-24-2006, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
On the history channel, they had filmed interviews with Iwo Jima survivors. One might say that things happened in the heat of battle that civilized people would find hard to believe. I cannot imagine what it was like to be in the midst of such brutality. If our boys did a little "skeet shooting" on the side, I do not know who could blame them. One interviewee told about troops going out in the morning and executing wounded Japanese as they lay. The policy on both sides was "no prisoners".

In the pacific, there were so few Japanese POWs that we promoted the concept that the Japanese would not surrender, which was not entirely truthful. Yes, there were battlefield executions and torture. When you find brother Marines on the battlefield who have been castrated and beheaded, the rules of engagement change. Again, I'm not judging. Not at all. The Marines had a brutal, ugly job to do. They got it done.