Iwo Jima 1945: The Marines Raise the Flag on Mount Suribachi (Praeger Illustrated Military History)

Iwo Jima 1945: The Marines Raise the Flag on Mount Suribachi (Campaign, 81)by Derek Wright is written in typical Ospery fashion. What makes it different from most of the other books in the series is the ablity of the author in very few pages to capture the heroism, death and wanton destruction that accompanied the battle to take control of the tiny island. Wright does a magnificant job helping the reader understand the mind set of the Marines and the Japanese and each of their desires to destroy the other at almost any cost or price.From the aftermath section, it is obvious that the author sought to use Iwo Jima as a test of what would have happened if an invasion of the Japanese homeland has occured. If Wright is even half correct in his assumptions, then the invasion would have been devestating. Wright then seems to conclude that the expected devestation justifies the use of the atomic bomb. A conclusion shared by the Iwo Jima veterans.The sequence of the battle is laid out in a day by day account. As is typical of the Osprey series, there are certainly parts of the battle that are left out or shortchanged. However, given the page limitations that is to be expected. This is an fine short history and a worthwhile read.