home letter

Giles 2022-03-15 09:01:04

War itself is a paradox. Weapons taken to protect the safety of the motherland and the happiness of the family may lose the happiness of another family every time the trigger is pulled.
When two men with steel guns face each other, the happiness of any family is based on the pain of the other family.
Officers with faith and loyalty are doing their best for the country and feel guilty about their families, not to mention those ordinary soldiers who were temporarily arrested for strong men who did not have too lofty ideals and just wanted to accompany their wives and children to live happily.
The final victory always belongs to the country, and the individual who participates in the war is a loser no matter the result, because he destroys the happiness of the family, other people's or his own.

View more about Letters from Iwo Jima reviews

Extended Reading

Letters from Iwo Jima quotes

  • General Tadamichi Kuribayashi: [Tadamichi turns up in time to stop Ito from beheading Saigo and Shimizu] I don't want you to kill my soldiers needlessly. Put down your sword. Put it down!

    [Ito sheathes his katana and salutes]

    General Tadamichi Kuribayashi: What's going on here?

    Lieutenant Ito: These men ran from Suribachi.

    General Tadamichi Kuribayashi: Lt. Ito, I gave the order that all survivors retreat to the north caves.

    Lieutenant Ito: [embarrassed] I am very sorry, General. It's just... Suribachi... has fallen.

    [Tadamichi rushes to a cave opening and sees Mount Suribachi from a distance, with a U.S flag raised on the summit]

  • [door opens]

    Lead Woman: Congratulations! Your husband is going to war.

    Saigo: Thank you very much. I'm happy to serve the country.

    Lead Woman: [Lead Woman stares piercingly at Saigo and steps forward] Prayers for your eternal success at arms.

    Hanako: [desperately] I beg of you! We have only each other.

    Lead Woman: [Lead Woman shouts - scolding Hanako angrily] Mrs. Saigo! *This* is not the time.

    [firmly]

    Lead Woman: We have all sent our husbands and sons to war. We all have to do our part.

    [looking down at Hanako's baby bump, and then... sympathetically]

    Lead Woman: At least you'll have a little one to carry on your name.

    [Lead Woman bows with authority and walks away]