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I recently posted my review of Clint Eastwood's "Letters From Iwo Jima" to Blogcritcs, and I received this comment, which I found to be moving and insightful. I wish I received more comments like this. Hopefully, the author approves of me reposting it here:





My wife and I just finished watching the movie, Letters from Iwo Jima. While the tradgedy and hopelessness of the Japanese loss of the island during WWII is depicted sympathetically and probably acurately, I was offended that the perspective was slanted so heavily against the Americans who were unwillingly thrust into this war in response to a Japanese invasion of America.

Not a word was said of the invasion, nor of the incredible losses incurred by the Marines who landed on the island in a hail of bullets and artillery fire. Also, the contrast of the Japanese humanely treating and comforting an American captive, followed by the atrocities commiteed by the Americans against the surrendering Japanese was beyond the boundaries of authenticity for me.

My great uncle fought with the Marine Rangers who first landed on the island. He was awarded the Silver Star and several Purple Hearts for his bravery and life-threatening wounds. Two thirds of his fellow soldiers were lost in that wave. In his words, he was "no hero...life wasn't worth a plug nickel anyway." So he rode an enemy tank behind enemy lines (yes there were actually running tanks on the island - not the pathetic scrap metal as depicted) and took out a pill box. For this action he has several scars and a metal plate in his head.

I'm disappointed that the hypothetical Japanese "Letters from Iwo Jima" weren't shown in parallel by Mr. Eastwood with letters from American soldiers who wrote to their families as well. I'm also disappointed in the misrepresentation of a poorly resourced, ragtag little band of brave Japanese fighting against the overwhelming barrage of the entire American military force of cowardly and inhumane men.

This movie, in spite of Eastwood's acurate portrayal of the tragedies of war, is an inaccurate slant against our American troops who, at tremendous cost, took control of a strategic military stronghold and helped turn the tide of the war.