Osprey Campaign 18 : Guadalcanal 1942 : The Marines Strike Back

On what was a virtually unheard of Pacific island the United States shattered the myth of Japanese invincibility. In the first American amphibious assault of the Second World War the US Marines and Army halted the apparently irresistible Japanese advance in its tracks. Over 30,000 American and Japanese casualties were suffered in five months of bitter fighting. From the ranks of the units that contested this campaign a seasoned fighting force of US veterans was created that, island by island, would sweep the Japanese back across the Pacific. The name of this island was Guadalcanal, and the fighting on it was some of the most vicious of the Second World War. This book authoritatively details the course of the campaign for this strategically vital island, and looks in detail at the battles of the Tenaru, 'Bloody Ridge', Henderson Field, and the breakout battles by the Matanikau River. The book is fully illustrated with more than 90 photographs, colour maps and unique 3D battle maps. The author, US Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Joe Mueller, is a recognised authority on the battle and has first hand experience of the battle zone.

Contents

• The Origins of the Campaign
• The Opposing Plans
• The Opposing Commanders
• The Opposing Forces
• The Landings
• August
• September
• October - November
• The Army Takes Over
• The Final Phase
• Epilogue
• The Battlefield Today
• Chronology
• A Guide to Further Reading
• Index