In Joseph Rosenthal's Photograph, Raising The Flag On Iwo Jima

On February 23, 1945, photographer, Joseph Rosenthal, captured one of the world's most famous photographs on top of Mt. Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. This photograph, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, portrays six United States soldiers raising a flag proving that the battle was over and the United States came out victorious. Joe Rosenthal was able to capture sacrifice, victory, freedom, pride, and honor all in a single photograph. This photograph became a symbolic image for the American people and was published in thousands of publications around the world and is still honored and respected today seventy-two years later.

First Part: Joseph Rosenthal was born on October 9, 1911 in Washington D.C. to a family of Russian

This photograph was in fact inspired directly by Joseph Rosenthal's. Stalin wanted his people to feel the same sense of glory and victory that this photograph provided for Americans for his people as well. Yevgeny Khaldei was the photographer ordered to complete this task. The flags seen in this picture are simply homemade tablecloths made by his uncle to serve as props represent their countries flag. Much like the rumors spread about Rosenthal's photograph, this photograph was highly composed. The photographer had three men climb atop the most prominent building in the city making this photograph as dramatic as possible. Another difference in these two photographs is that Raising a Flag Over the Reichstag is taken from a different vantage point; taken from above, whereas Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima is taken from a neutral angle. This photograph displays that the men posing as soldiers are the same size as the surrounding sculptures. Because of the staging of this photograph, this piece did not receive the same respect and power as Joseph Rosenthal's, Raising the Flag on Iwo