Customer Reviews

Iwo Jima: Portrait of a Battle: United States Marines at War in the Pacific

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I have read several books on the Battle of Iwo Jima, but most texts have very few photos of this monumental event in World War II, and the same ones are often seen from book to book. This book brings many, many images to light that have been gathering dust in governmental and military archives for six decades. In the first 10 pages alone, I had only seen maybe one of the images before. This type of photographic record should be published for every major American campaign of the Second World War. Now, I just wonder how many Iwo Jima photos that were not used in the book will sit unseen for another 60 years.

In reading this book and examining the photographs, I couldn't help but develop an eternal feeling for all those Marines who fought and died on that stinking piece of real estate. The photographs are awe inspiring by showing everyone the hell all those young Marines went through. I can't invision the kind of torture they suffered, not only from the terrain, but from the enemy entrenched in their caves, bunkers, and pillboxes. To be sujected to this kind of murderous ordeal truly shows the bravery and heroic actions by these Marines, and every American today should be damn thankful for the sacrifices people like they and others made for them. Everytime I saw the photos of dead Marines in this book I just literally cried. I have never seen some of these photos, and seeing these young Marines laying in the waste of black lava as their final resting spots really got to me. Some never had a chance, others died weeks later after hard fought combat, and some like three of the flag raisers on Suribachi, never got to enjoy the fame and glory of their action. This is a great book, a sad book, but a book every American should read and look at. Eric Hammel did a masterful job of writing and organizing this book, and he did proud justice to all those brave Marines who fought and died on Iwo Jima. I highly recommend this book.

Hammel's text is spare but precise, and tightly interwoven with the photographs. It is difficult to exaggerate the quality of the photographs in this volume, which is beautifully produced and bound. The large format and glossy paper do justice to the photos. The extreme resolution and fine detail of the black & white photographs are breathtaking and haunting; use of a magnifying glass reveals the faces and expressions of men wholly consumed in, and being consumed by, their fearsome tasks. This is a work of beauty and awesome respect.

This book is so incredible that Zenith Press and Eric Hammel should win an award for it. The photos collected are hard to believe, as they capture the intense action like no other collection of war photos I have ever seen. The citations of the Medal of Honor winners are elegantly presented as well, adding even more depth to the captions and text supplied by the author. I saw it in a bookstore with the metallic words shining on the black cover, and I thought it looked more like a beautiful memorial marker, and not just a book. The photographs have been laying dormant for more than half a century and suddenly the Marines that fought those 30+ days are right in front of you in the heat of the battle. Absolutely excellent.

Plenty of books have been written on one of the bloodiest wars Americans have ever encountered, but none hold the visual impact of IWO JIMA, which pairs vintage black and white photos with a 'you are there' history of events during the battle, during which hundreds of rockets and bombs hit virtually any spot on the island. Eric Hammel is a military historian who has collected many previously unpublished photos of Marines in action and combat: IWO JIMA is a historically significant, major release and a 'must' for any serious military collection.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book is a treasure, especially for family members and children of the courageous men who fought and gave their lives during this battle. Through extensive use of text and photographs, Mr. Hammel thoroughly describes the conflict in a way that assists the reader in understanding the extreme sacrifice that those young men made for their country.

This is a beautiful book. Iwo Jima is a perfect combination of photography and narrative. There is just enough written description to give the outline of events, but not enough to overpower the photographs. The photographs are very emotional. One gets sense of sadness at seeing the destruction and death and the overpowering odds against these men, but a sense of awe at their raw courage and determination. The written descriptions of the of Metal of Honor winners is difficult to appreciate. How could these men muster such courage and tenacity? Historians describe the Iwo Jima battle against the Japanese defense as "throwing human flesh against reinforced concrete." You wonder if the current generation could do the same. Maybe so, if the cause was the same. In any event, this book is worth reading so we can appreciate what these men accomplished.

Excellant ! as good as it gets.. i do a lot of reading
or research as you may.. i`m very picky & this really touched my heart !!!
amazon, you folks are really on top of things my purchases have been great so far !! thank you ! respectfully, r.d. klene

I purchased this book to give to my brother-in-law who fought in the battle on Iwo Jima. He is suffering with Parkinsons and over the past couple of years has discussed his experiences on Iwo Jima more than ever. This book is filled with photographs taken mostly by the Marine Corps and has brought many memories to him, both good and bad. I sat with him for two hours and he explained so many things to me. This book is wonderful for Iwo Jima vets and/or their families. I can't wait to go back for another visit and be able to share more of his experiences.

This book is primarily a pictorial history of the battle. However the narrative is quite informative as well. I was a pre-teen during WWII and most of what I knew of the war was based on movies that for the most part centered on the glory rather than the gory. I have read numerous books on WWII as an adult that provided me with a clearer view of both the inherent heroism and the horrible waste of war. This book provides both aspects. It includes some descriptions of decisions made by named Navy admirals that the author states made the Marines task of taking Iwo Jima even more bloody.