In my mind, one of the most stirring examples of the unique quality of the American spirit was the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima. On the morning of February 23, 1945, U.S. Marines conducted an assault of Mount Suribachi and upon reaching the summit, raised the flag. In fact, two American flags were raised that day – a second, larger flag was retreived from a ship. In the midst of one of the bloodiest and most desperate battles of WW II, U.S. Marines were willing to risk their lives to raise the flag of their country.
Whats the point? Well, Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg are in the process of finishing up a film titled Flags of Our Fathers about the six soldiers involved in the Iwo Jima flag raising, and it has now been revealed that Clint Eastwood is working on a second film about Iwo Jima told from the Japanese perspective tentatively titled Lambs Before the Wind or Lamps Before the Wind, depending on where you read about it.
Eastwood was a bit close-lipped about his motivation for the second film but indicated that he felt the other side of the story should be told, "I don’t know — sometimes you just get a feeling about something. You have a premonition that you can get something decent out of it. You just have to trust your gut."
From what little I’ve read, Flags of Our Fathers is the story of what befalls each of the men involved in raising the flag that day. And that’s where the problem lies. As soon as you diverge from the true story into the twists and turns of personal fortune or misfortune, the door is opened for manipulation by revisionists to rewrite history.
The true story should be of the epic struggle of the United States to defend herself as well as a large chunk of the rest of the world from Japanese aggression. The raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima was not about those soldiers as individuals but about the bravery and sacrifice of all Americans who took part in the fight.
Thousands of soldiers from both sides met a grisly fate on Iwo Jima. As human beings, we should honor the bravery and sacrifice of all soldiers who willingly march into battle. But we should not conclude an equivalence exists between the aspirations of the Japanese and those of the Americans. Japan was a vicious aggressor that severely underestimated the strength and resolve of America to right a wrong and put an end to aggression. The American flags raised on Iwo Jima were a symbol of that strength and resolve.
When will the movie Raising Our Flag(s) be released? Is this the movie that tentatively was titled Lambs Before the Wind or Lamps Before the Wind? I do enjoy Clint Eastwood movies and would like to get more info on this one, maybe purchase it for a gift for someone who collects Clint Eastwood movies. Will it be released on CD only or VHS also? It may be hard to believe, but some of us do still have a VCR in out living room. I truly enjoyed Million Dollar Baby with Clint and Hilary, what a couple, the movie touched my heart! Cried crocodile tears, Clint, were you in love as lovers or were you in love as a father and daughter? We’ve had some discussions on that, I wanted to see it as lovers, but a Father’s love for his daughter is really sweet also! Anyways , I could go on and on about other movies you have made, such as Bridges of Madison County, with Meryl Streep… good show, awesome LO V E S T O R Y!! I can never remember the name of the western where Cowboy Clint gets the town to paint everything RED, that is another excellent movie, what is the title, again? I guess I’m a big fan of yours, also, I get excited when I hear you have a new movie coming out, maybe I should buy this new one for myself. I look forward you reply. THKS GGM
As a mother whose son is studying in the USA, this movie gave me a strong impression about the word, American “Hero”. Since I have been learned “we must not repeat the war again” at school , home, society, American “Hero” means only to justify War. We must not kill people each other, must not injure people consciously. It is absolutely ridicurous. We can avoid conflict by arms. We have knowledge. I hope not only my son but all of our children realize it, and NEVER start war again. I do hope American soldiers in Iraq should withdraw immediately in order not to increase mothers and fathers who will cry their loss.