The Battle of Iwo Jima: Guerrilla Warfare in the Pacific

Osprey Graphic History #5

by Larry Hama

World War II's most enduring photographic image, that of U.S. troops raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi, was taken during the successful U.S. invasion of the tiny island of Iwo Jima. The U.S. victory was critical to Allied plans because the captured airfields on the island would provide a landing and refueling site for American bombers on missions to and from Japan. The furious battle against Japanese troops dug into a complex system of caves and tunnels is one of the war's most memorable struggles.

Genres: History, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, World War II, Japan, Military Fiction, Comics

48 pages, Library Binding

First published October 24, 2006

About the author

Larry Hama is an American writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s.

During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles on the TV shows M*A*S*H and Saturday Night Live, and appeared on Broadway in two roles in the original 1976 production of Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures.

He is best known to American comic book readers as a writer and editor for Marvel Comics, where he wrote the licensed comic book series G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero, based on the Hasbro action figures. He has also written for the series Wolverine, Nth Man: the Ultimate Ninja, and Elektra. He created the character Bucky O'Hare, which was developed into a comic book, a toy line and television cartoon.

Reviews

[Jurij Fedorov · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's fun yet this is just a very short summary lacking details. We get a very short overview of everything. From ships, to planes, to tanks. See them for a few panels with no technical details. Lots of names being mentioned and then we don't see those people do anything. What happened to the Japanese prisoners post the war? Guess what, American writers don't care.

It's a strong overview. Yet half the book is just text in the beginning and end. The illustrations are glorious and the panels clear. There are a few top down panels yet not enough. I would say it's a bit of a letdown as it needed more. Yet it is an engaging read with plenty of small details for what you get.

The author never goes over mistakes or alternative plans that may have been better. The surprise attacks are badly depicted like Japanese attacking an American camp. How did they get past the patrols? You need to show this.

[Clayton Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book "The Battle of Iwo Jima" by Larry Hama is about the battle of Iwo Jima. It talks about the battle stages, the troops, and the commanders that were involved in this battle. It also talks about the conflict of the battle, and what challenges the soldiers had faced.

There are lots of things I liked about this book, the first thing being that it has pictures on every page. If you are a visual learner who likes to read about history, then this is the book for you. It was also very descriptive. There were easy in the book, and that also helped to read it. I wouldn't change the book if I could, since it is already a great book as is.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes history in the 4-8 grade. Some of the pictures are a little bit graphic, but if you can read it, it will be one of your favorite series.

[Mary Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juvenile non-fiction. This is a short graphic depiction of the horrific combat on Iwo Jima. I found this book in our local library after a visit to the New Orleans' WW2 museum, wanting to do some follow-up reading, but not willing to slog through a 600 page adult book. I liked the occasional focus on a specific individual, as well as the historical context the author gives at the beginning and end, with the graphic section in between.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series Graphic Battles of World War II covers the battle of Iwo Jima in this book. A brief look at the occurrences of the battle are covered, where about 20,000 Japanese and about 7,000 American soldiers and sailors were killed. The battle lasted thirty-six days.

[Chase]

It wasnt that interesting

[Trinity Nordbrock]

Had to read for school

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hama provides a solid overview of the famous battle, considering both Japanese and American perspectives. There is a good balance between the big picture and individuals' stories.

[Stephen Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exceptional account of this monumental battle. Not only does Larry Hama give a vivid account of this battle, he also gives the names of several men who fought in this battle, making the report more personal to the reader.

Thank you Mister Hama for such a wonderful lesson. Bravo~

Thank you Franklin Public Library for the loan.

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of Osprey's “Graphic History” books. It consists of some text information, some photographs, a section done in comic-book style, a glossary, suggestions for further reading, and a fold-out poster.

This will definitely appeal to the younger reader of history, mixing as it does a variety of methods of presentation. The Osprey books are always good, and this one shows that the company can do books for younger readers just as well as they can do books for adults.

The book deals with the battle of Iwo Jima. One of the book's strengths is how it tries to personalize the battle, discussing what happened to certain specific individuals during the battle. A book definitely worth getting.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalau tentara Amerika gagal merebut Iwo Jima, mungkin Indonesia akan lebih lama lepas dari penjajahan Jepang!!

Iwo Jima adalah pangkalan strategis untuk pesawat-pesawat Amerika yang kelak akan menyerang Tokyo, Hiroshima & Nagasaki. Pesawat-pesawat pengawal Bomber B-29 semua diluncurkan dari pulau kecil ini, dan sepulang dari jepang, banyak dari pesawat-pesawat Amerika mendarat di sini. Tanpa ada Iwo Jima untuk mendarat, puluhan ribu pilot Amerika bisa habis riwayatnya!

[Ruairi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book because i find wars fun to learn about like how each side did and reacted to their enemy's tactics, but it was probably at about a 2ed grade level.

It was about all about what happened, commanders, and heroes of the battle of Iwo Jima

It also talked about the military tactics that the Japanese and Americans used. It explains what commanders felt and how the prepared for the battle

[Cathrine Glover · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a graphic novel and tells an accurate account of the battle. This is a good book for reluctent readers and does appear to be accurate.

[Mrs. · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids (boys especially) love these books

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent overview of the events. It would be a good supplement to the less-than-adequate coverage of the Second World War found in textbooks.

[Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a funny book about the battles of the worlds most bloodest battle in World War Two. where Marines try to capture Iwo Jima from the Japanesse.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. It was historical but in graphic novel format so it made the information easier to absorb. I would be interested in finding the rest of the series.

[Steve Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

The authors seem to think the services were far more integrated than they were. The cartoons show black servicemen fighting alongside whites. This didn't happen.

But it's a kids book.

[Bailey Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a is nonfiction graphic novel about Iwo Jima and the men who fought I WW2.