http://pergelator.blogspot.com/2008/0... ( )

Terrific story about Flyboys of the pacific theater in WWII. It was a great sotry which incorporated a great amount of resources and information about other aspects of the war. I really loved this book. ( )

This is more than a description of what happen to eight fliers (including George Bush, Sr.) who were shot down over Chichi Jima in 1945. It is a history of US foreign policy in the Pacific, an analysis of how Japan became militaristic in the early 20th Century and an examination of the Allies war crime trials in Japan. ( )

Bradley did a Yeoman's job of research for this book. I've read a lot of books about WWII, but almost all of them have involved the European theater, so Bradley's information on the military strategies of the Japanese was helpful in understanding the situation.

However, Bradley had an annoying habit of imposing his own judgments on many of the events which occurred. Certainly he has a right to do so, but the reader shouldn't be privy to them. Give us the facts and let us make a judgment on it.

I also was not particularly thrilled with the editing in this book. When Bradley and the editor repeatedly incorrectly use bring/take and come/go, it's very distressing and, frankly, egregious in a publisher of this caliber.

Overall this is an interesting book about an important period in history. ( )

I bought this book but wasn't very eager to begin reading it. I had read several reviews from people who thought James Bradley was a bit unfair in his characterization of US servicemen. Some people called the book treason in light of the things mentioned in regards to atrocities committed by the United States. I began reading this book and did not want to stop. It was that good. It was not a feel good read. This book does not glorify war as other historians tend to do. You don't get any picture of war other than pure madness. Bradley gives you the reality of war from the individual's point of view. He makes it personal.

I have found that many American history authors write their books from the standpoint of the US having the moral superiority. The US always takes the high road and the enemy, whoever it is, is of a lower moral standard. I don't necessarily disagree with that point of view many times. After all, I am an American and I firmly believe that the US has fought in most wars for just reasons. However, history is about more than just one side. It's about more than just one point of view. It is an aggregate of facts and perceptions taken from both sides. The truth is usually somewhere in between.

In light of that, James Bradley lays it all out there when it comes to the actions of the Japanese and the US military. Bad things happened on both sides. I would say that the Japanese committed far more atrocities on an individual level. Cannibalism and beheadings were not common on the US side. The Japanese military seemed to embrace these acts wholeheartedly. Bradley spends a great deal of time talking about the cannibalism and the beheadings. You come to loathe the Japanese military as an institution and yet you find yourself feeling sorry for some of their soldiers who followed orders or risked losing their own lives.

The US does not escape criticism either. Firebombing major cities across Japan was not exactly civil. Thousands of innocent women and children were killed. I consider that a tragedy, and yet I also factor in the mindset of Japan at the time. The author does a good job of explaining that. There was nothing that could have been done diplomatically to bring the war to an end. When looking at the number of US servicemen that would have died conquering the Japanese islands, what choice was there?

War is not pretty. Once you get beyond Hollywood and the romantic image that people have in regards to combat, you will see something that should give everyone pause before they start beating the drums of war. Innocent people will die. Tragedies will occur. Families will be shattered by the deaths of fathers, brothers, and sons. That suffering will occur on both sides. That is the point I believe James Bradley is trying to make in this book. ( )