Flags of our Fathers

[irizavrima]

How historically accurate is flags of our fathers? A lot of critics argue that it had a very liberal bias to it...

[ggyoung]

the movie or the book?

[drumcorpssnare]

Let me first qualify my answer, by saying that I have studied the battle for Iwo Jima extensively. I have also had the honor of interviewing a handful of Marines who were there.
Virtually any Hollywood movie will take some degree of "dramatic license." This movie is no different. However, for the most part, this movie is historically acurate.
The two main points that were driven home in this movie are this....
The truest heroes of Iwo Jima are the ones who were buried there.
The US Govt. callously misused the surviving flag raisers for the sake of raising money.
Admiral Nimitz's quote, "Uncommon Valor Was A Common Virtue" of course speaks for all who fought in that terrible battle....living and dead. But as we all know, the heroes who survive are almost always modest, and don't brag of their accomplishments.
The very last thing those two Marines, and Navy corpsman wanted, was to be in the "limelight" touted as heroes.
And for comparisons sake- "Sands of Iwo Jima" was 'hokey.'
"Flags of Our Fathers" was like being there.
SEMPER FI to all the veterans of Iwo Jima!
drumcorpssnare