“A good officer uses his head, not his whip.”
– General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Letters from Iwo Jima)
I previously wrote about a movie depicting the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Marines. Letters from Iwo Jima was the movie that showed the other side of that coin. Clint Eastwood took it upon himself to ensure that the Japanese perspective of that battle was accurately and fairly portrayed. Hollywood is still Hollywood and they have a job to do, but I would argue that this was masterfully done.
Words of caution. This movie is not for the squeamish. Iwo Jima was a nasty bit of business and Letters from Iwo Jima pulled very few punches. Certain horrors were too much for the big screen, but they still did a masterful job. As much as you may want to hate the Japanese soldiers of the day, this movie pulls back the curtain and shows a new story that many might not have ever known.
Many of the Army commanders and leaders were the worst of the worst and they forced it upon their own people, but not all were bad or evil. Letters from Iwo Jima is about a soldier at the bottom doing whatever he can to survive, and the commanding general, doing whatever he can to perform his duty with honor and courage. Showing them in this light makes it difficult to not see them as respectable men doing what anyone else would do.
I am grateful that the Allies were victorious. No buts. It is just a shame that the hate, ambition, corruption, and greed led so many to such an early end in their lives. What I loved most about Letters from Iwo Jima was how they talked about the lowly soldier before he was conscripted. He was a baker. All he wanted to do was bake and be with his family. Seeing them like that, you can’t help but feel empathetic.
I recommend this movie to everyone, but, again, with caution. There are intense scenes of violence and combat. Also, be ready to read as most of the movie is in subtitles.
Journeyman's Legacy 