The Pacific Campaign in World War II: From Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal (Naval Policy and History) (Cass Series: Naval Policy and History)

This is a fascinating new account of how diplomacy and politics gave way to military strategy and warfare in the Pacific. Presenting previously unpublished photographs, interviews with veterans, newly commissioned maps and new translations of Japanese sources, this book freshly examines the key events in the fight for the Pacific. Detailing the background to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor it shows how the decision-makers in Washington, following consultation with the leaders of Britain, Australia and New Zealand, moved to stop Japan from its drive toward Australia by initiating a counterthrust in the Solomon Islands. It also shows how qualities and character of leadership are crucial to winning wars, detailing how Admiral Ernest J. King managed to commit the Marine Corps to ground action in the South Pacific six months earlier than originally planned, by ignoring the Roosevelt’s commitment to defeat Germany prior to fighting Japan, and by outmaneuvering Gen. Douglas MacArthur for leadership. It also explains how Marines under Maj. Gen. A.A. Vandegrift, despite inadequate logistical support, managed to prevail in the Americans’ first ground campaign of World War II, making Japan’s ultimate defeat inevitable. In addition to recounting these key events, it traces how censorship and patriotism influenced the reporting of the conflict in America, how Hollywood films further shaped public opinion by portraying the significant events in particular ways, and how certain crucial decisions such as the early bombing raid of Tokyo, and giving Douglas MacArthur command of the war effort in Australia, were "political" rather than "strategic," and were made to foster morale rather than to gain any military advantage. This book will be of great interest to all students and scholars of Military History, and to all readers with a general interest in World War II, particularly in the conflicts of the Pacific, Pearl Harbor and Guadalcanal. This Is New Account Of The Pacific War, Using Archival Materials And The Recollections Of Several Participants As Well As Published Sources In English And Japanese, Explores A Number Of Topics Not Commonly Considered Together, And From Them Offers A Number Of New Perspectives. First, The Author Chronicles The Complex And Often Tense Relationship Between Japan And The Us In The Four Decades Before Pearl Harbor, Showing How Each Nation Repeatedly Misgauged Not Only The Other's Intentions And Capabilities But Even Its Cultural Values And National Psyche. An Exposition Of The Several Failed Diplomatic Initiatives In The Weeks Prior To 7 December 1941, Culminating In Various Miscues In The Hours And Minutes Before The Attack, Is Followed By A Primer On How Military Strategy Is Actually Invoked, As Johnson Delineates The Process By Which Admiral Ernest J. King Obtained Approval From President Franklin D. Roosevelt To Commit The Us Marine Corps To Significant Early Ground Action In The South Pacific, Despite The President's Earlier Promise Not To Engage Japan Until Germany Was Defeated. In The Process Of Effecting This Crucial Change In American Strategy, King Also Managed To Outmaneuver General Douglas Macarthur For Leadership In The Pacific Theatre. Shifting From Strategic To Tactical Concerns, The Author Explains How The Marines On Guadalcanal, Despite Inadequate Logistical Support And Horrendous Living Conditions, Managed To Prevail In The Americans' First Ground Campaign Of World War Ii, An Achievement Of Such Magnitude As To Make Japan's Ultimate Defeat In The War Inevitable.--book Jacket. The Pacific Background -- Why Japan Gambled -- The Last Clear Chance -- The Long Postmortem -- The Course Of Empire -- Bataan Through Midway -- The Counterthrust -- The First Two Days -- The Battle Of Savo Island -- Settling In -- Up Against It -- A Mixed Picture -- Courage And Ambivalence -- Medical Issues -- The End Of The Beginning. William Bruce Johnson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 371-394) And Index. BOOK COVER......Page 1 HALF TITLE......Page 2 SERIES TITLE......Page 3 TITLE......Page 6 COPYRIGHT......Page 7 DEDICATION......Page 8 CONTENTS......Page 10 ILLUSTRATIONS......Page 12 FOREWORD......Page 16 1. THE PACIFIC BACKGROUND......Page 18 2. WHY JAPAN GAMBLED......Page 39 3. THE LAST CLEAR CHANCE......Page 61 4. THE LONG POSTMORTEM......Page 91 5. THE COURSE OF EMPIRE......Page 108 6. BATAAN THROUGH MIDWAY......Page 122 7. THE COUNTERTHRUST......Page 153 8. THE FIRST TWO DAYS......Page 183 9. THE BATTLE OF SAVO ISLAND......Page 194 10. SETTLING IN......Page 214 11. UP AGAINST IT......Page 225 12. A MIXED PICTURE......Page 244 13. COURAGE AND AMBIVALENCE......Page 269 14. MEDICAL ISSUES......Page 284 15. THE END OFTHE BEGINNING......Page 297 NOTES......Page 334 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 388 INDEX......Page 412 I. The Pacific background II. Why Japan gambled III. The last clear chance IV. The long postmortem V. The course of empire VI. Bataan through Midway VII. The counterthrust VIII. The first two days IX. The Battle of Savo Island X. Settling in XI. Up against it XII. A mixed picture XIII. Courage and ambivalence XIV. Medical issues XV. The end of the beginning. This is a fascinating new account of how diplomacy and politics gave way to military strategy and warfare in the Pacific. Presenting previously unpublished documents this book freshly examines the key events in the fight for the Pacific.