The definitive picture of the Pacific War?

[mind_messing]

Here's something I'm quite interested in seeing the results from: what do you guys think of as the definitive or iconic picture of the Pacific War? I'm curious to see what images stick out for people!

[Canoerebel]

This is the one that first came to mind. The horror of war abundantly clear.

Others that almost as immediately came to mind: massive explosion of ship at Pearl Harbor, flag-raising Iwo Jima, and heavily damaged Mikuma on June 6, 1942.

[JeffroK]

I'm not good at photos:

Pearl Harbor.
Bataan Death March.
Burma Railway.
Sinking japanese CV at Midway.
The Diggers on the Kokoda Track.
The beach at Tarawa.
US Fleet anchored at Ulithi.
Kohima.
Mt Suribachi.
Kamikaze attack on USS Franklin.
Atom Bomb.


?? Is CR's photo the execution of Fl Lt Newton RAAF who was awarded the VC for attacks in the Salamua area??

[MakeeLearn]

The upclose viciousness of the war

[MakeeLearn]

The vastness

[John 3rd]

That is a perdy picture...

[gottagofish]

I think you have to start at the beginning, the Arizona blowing up!

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Here's something I'm quite interested in seeing the results from: what do you guys think of as the definitive or iconic picture of the Pacific War? I'm curious to see what images stick out for people!

An impossible request. No one picture can encompass the scope of the war in either action or human terms.

[adarbrauner]

Flag raising, or japanese people crying when hearing the Emperor's "surrender" speech.

[LargeSlowTarget]

VJ day on Times Square - the joy to be alive.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

This is the one that first came to mind. The horror of war abundantly clear.

Others that almost as immediately came to mind: massive explosion of ship at Pearl Harbor, flag-raising Iwo Jima, and heavily damaged Mikuma on June 6, 1942.

warspite1

I've posted this one previously. It kills me. I remember seeing it as a young kid in a Sunday newspaper and really affected me [:(].

Iirc he was an Aussie pilot.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Here's something I'm quite interested in seeing the results from: what do you guys think of as the definitive or iconic picture of the Pacific War? I'm curious to see what images stick out for people!

warspite1

If there is one picture to use say on the cover of a book or game solely on the Pacific War I would use either this:

[warspite1]

... or something like this (because it brings out the naval aspect and of course the Kamikaze) - but on balance I would probably go for the former as the US did win the damn thing and the latter picture is negative in that regard.

[BBfanboy]

Not so negative. Both Bunker Hill and Franklin were saved in spite of horrific damage. A real tribute to US damage control and crew bravery.

The thing I have against these pictures is that they focus solely on US forces when there were obviously other nations involved, including Japan!
My thought for a summary picture was the one of Admiral Nimitz and Gen. MacArthur briefing President Roosevelt on their proposed strategies for advancement in the Pacific, in front of a map encompassing the whole arena of battle.

The US effort at sea definitely dwarfed all the other nations combined, but the Chinese are the ones whose army tied down so much of the IJA that they could not put as many troops on their conquests as they should have in early. Later on, the USN and USAAF dominance prevented significant movement of troops by ship so I rate them the most important forces from 1943 on.

The picture of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima is symbolic and human, but does not portray the combat. The picture of the burning carrier does not show the human element closely enough. I think maybe a suite of about 20 pictures could paint a decent picture of what went on.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Not so negative. Both Bunker Hill and Franklin were saved in spite of horrific damage. A real tribute to US damage control and crew bravery.

The thing I have against these pictures is that they focus solely on US forces when there were obviously other nations involved, including Japan!
My thought for a summary picture was the one of Admiral Nimitz and Gen. MacArthur briefing President Roosevelt on their proposed strategies for advancement in the Pacific, in front of a map encompassing the whole arena of battle.

The US effort at sea definitely dwarfed all the other nations combined, but the Chinese are the ones whose army tied down so much of the IJA that they could not put as many troops on their conquests as they should have in early. Later on, the USN and USAAF dominance prevented significant movement of troops by ship so I rate them the most important forces from 1943 on.

The picture of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima is symbolic and human, but does not portray the combat. The picture of the burning carrier does not show the human element closely enough. I think maybe a suite of about 20 pictures could paint a decent picture of what went on.

warspite1

Well the OP asked for an Iconic image that each of us see as stand out for the Pacific War.

There is no right or wrong answer. I don't see that every nation has to be represented. Without in anyway disregarding (and certainly not disrespecting) the British Commonwealth, the Chinese, the Dutch or anyone else, it was the US forces that won the Pacific War.

There are quite a few iconic pictures - Percival surrendering at Singapore, the Arizona blowing up, the Bomb just after it was dropped at Hiroshima, one of the B-25's taking off from Hornet, the Formidable after being hit by a Kamikaze etc etc.

But the brief was to choose one - and to me the Iwo Jima picture, more than any other single picture, is the Pacific War.

Sure, and as alluded to when I mentioned the Bunker Hill, depending on what the subject matter is for the picture and the context, it may be that there are other more appropriate images - but I just went by the brief.

[Lowpe]

Iconic. Not Yankee.

[Insano]

this is the first picture that pops into my head

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Iconic. Not Yankee.

I was just beginning search for this one and saw you had it up already. Yep, this in the one that sticks in my mind.

[Chickenboy]

Not a picture so much as a painting. One of the most emblematic as far as I'm concerned: Tom Lea's "Ten Thousand Yard Stare"

[bush]

Insano's picture is mine. Along with the caption "Murderer's Row."