Iwo Jima: Portrait of a Battle: United States Marines at War in the Pacific
by Eric Hammel
from Zenith Press

Editorial Review:

Iwo Jima is perhaps the hardest won and most famous battle in the Pacific theater during World War II. The award-winning, iconic photo of Marines raising the American flag during the battle is remembered by millions as the symbol of how hard fought the victory was in the war.

Iwo Jima: Portrait of a Battle: United States Marines in the Pacific takes this iconic flag-raising image one step further. In incredible duotone reproduction, over 500 photos taken by Marine Corps combat photographers during the battle are featured, including over 300 never-before-published that were discovered in Marine Corps archives by author and military historian Eric Hammel. The photos vividly recreate the battle, as it happened: the pummeling of inland targets, the strafing, and the rocket fire that accompanied the landing; the eerie silence that greeted the Marines as they set foot on the island; and then, as the newly-landed Marines regrouped on the shoreline, the horrors of all hell breaking loose. The book also includes detailed maps as well as profiles of each Medal of Honor winner from the battle - including the citation from the President to each honoree reproduced in its entirety that includes detailed descriptions of courage and valor under fire.

The fighting on Iwo Jima--thirty-four of the bloodiest days of the Pacific War--comes to harrowing life in this volume, and this book is an instant classic in the genre and a necessary addition to any serious collection of World War II literature.

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

• Iwo Jima
  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... more info

• Battle portrait
  Simply put---one of the best battle depictions I have read anywhere.Stunning pictures.Day-by-day breakdown of gains and losses make you feel like you are right there.This book made an impression on me that has not abated.Definitely at the very top of the military battles that I have read.

• Stark, spare, haunting, beautiful
  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... more info

• Fabulous Book
  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.