Search - Flyboys : A True Story of Courage

This book was quite an eye opener for me as to the atrocities done on both sides of the war. Be prepared though, there are some very graphic details described in the book. Not recommended reading for the squeamish. It does give some pretty good insight into the mind set of the opposing sides. I have to rate this very high in the must read books about WW II.

One of the best books I have ever read on WWII. Be prepared though, James Bradley doesn't pull any punches.

This book really changed my views about the behavior of the Japanese troops during WWII. I've read about and met survivors of the Bataan Death March. I've read about the atrocities in China, the Phillipines and in Thailand and could not imagine what had driven their sadistic behavior. Bradley makes a convincing case justifying these attitudes tracing back to Perry and his landing in Japan. He tells how the American (Christian) treatment of the Indians reinforced the Japanese idea of sub-humans and justified purging the natives of conquered armies and countries. He tells about the brutality of the Japanese NCOs and officers towards their own troops. He tells of the brutality of LeMay's firebombing of the cities in Japan. He also shows the character of the elder George Bush. He tells of some extremely kind actions and in the end I learn I have to get over it - that was then and this is now. If the participants can put aside their bitterness we need to do it as well.
A great history story but also a great story of the triumph of the human spirit. A real change agent and I'm very glad I read it.

Mass murder, rape, decapitation, cannibalism; this book had all the elements of a movie that I would be too squeamish to see. The background info was a bit heavy, but I couldn't put the book down when I got to the second half. This was a story that needed to be told and Bradley did a great job telling it.

I loved this book so much. I read it then put it on my bookshelf to share as it was so wonderful, then decided i had to have it again for a friend to read, so ordered it again and now that she has enjoyed it--here i have listed again as this was so good it needs to be shared,

This book was very well written but was not easy to read due to the subject matter. There is a lot of cultural insight which is very interesting but also troubling.