FLYBOYS by James Bradley

FLYBOYS is an excellent historical view of “The Land of the Rising Sun” and the Pacific war. A very objective view of Japanese thinking from it’s 250 years of peace to Commodore Perry’s spell breaking unwelcome visit to Tokyo Bay in 1853. Perry’s and other gaizin stirred the hearts of many Japanese and their isolationism to make way for the hawkish “spirit warrior” mentality that molded a new generation of Japanese, lead by Emperor Hirohito.
FLYBOYS and The MIGHTY EIGHTH by Gerald Astor are two books that instill respect for the uncanny insight/brilliance of General Billy Mitchell (The Father of the US Airforce) who died a broken man.
FLYBOYS focus is on the island of Chichi Jima and its strategic value. You get to know eight American FLYBOYS pre-enlistment to their most tragic end. One of the eight, former president George H. W. Bush is the one pilot to survive his crash and burn bomb run. Bradley includes his interviews and the return visit to Chichi Jima with President Bush.
Bradley is the son of one of the men who raised the American flag on Iwo Jima. His writing is not all flag waving. He objectively points out many unpopular “warts” in our history and leadership. Mr. Bradley broadly paints the historical strokes of American westward expansion in unkindly colors. The early 1900’s Philippines war struck me as one of the unkindest colors of all.
FLYBOYS underscores the mindset of wartime thinking. In retrospect very harsh. But,the lesser of too many evils.
This book has too many moments of unthinkable brutality. Which made finishing the book a chore for me.
The A-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the napalming of all major Japanese cities. This needless death and destruction falls mainly on the shoulders of Emperor Hirohito and his spirit warrior generals who stubbornly sacrificed the Japanese people to their own vanity and ego. The Pacific war was basically finished early on and prior to bombing of mainland Japan with the destruction of the Imperial Japanese navy.
The wisdom of Hirohito’s being absolved of war crimes is VERY questionable.
The undisputed need of Billy Mitchell’s Air superiority. It’s proven value in the Pacific and European theaters translates to a US Air Force as powerful as it can be forever.
As documented in The MIGHTY EIGHTH, the oral history documented by surviving soldiers, their friends and families is what makes these books fly, so to speak. As you read you get close to the actual people. Their thoughts, fears, loves, motivations. Most importantly, you feel proud. Their unselfish bravery gave us the freedom we know as America.