The soul of a nation

In this excellent piece, the Chicago Tribune pays tribute to Joe Rosenthal, the man who photographed the flag rising on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima on February 24, 1945. Rosenthal died this Sunday in Northern California at the age of 94. Over 7000 US soldiers died in the battle of Iwo Jima. A small sample of the Tribune piece: “The action he captured -- a fleeting one-400th of a second -- became the best-known, most enduring photograph of World War II. The image of muscles straining, of hands letting go as the 100-pound pole rose, of a breeze filling Old Glory, inspired an America eager for World War II to conclude. The photo drew power from its composition--its triangles project strength and stability--but especially from its faceless Marines: To their countrymen they were the unknown, individually undistinguished soldiers who were triumphing over tyranny. “