Guadalcanal [First Edition, First Printing] Hoyt, Edwin P.

Fine unread condition black boards, red spine, and gold spine lettering contained in a fine condition non price-clipped color illustrated dust jacket. Includes List of Other Books by Edwin P. Hoyt; List of Illustrations and Maps; Notes; Bibliography and Index. Illustrated with a section of black-and-white photographs. "The full story of the South Pacific campaign that turned the tide of war, recreated from newly available information from both sides of the battle." - from the rear outer jacket. "Guadalcanal was the first major American offinsive confrontation with the Japanese in the Pacific war. Until then, the entire American effort had been defensive, including the Battle of Midway. The American fleet was still scanty in the summer of 1942, and Admiral Nimitz did not contemplate offensive action for perhaps another year. His plans were reversed when the Japanese decided to land a force on Tulagi and build an airfiled on Guadalcanal Island, from which they could dominate the shipping lanes between America and Australia. This book opens with Admiral King's decision to stop the Japanese at any cost. After a surprisingly easy invasion of Guadalcanal and seizure of Henderson Field, the American hold quickly beecame perilous. Japanese victories at sea made it possible to ferry their troops into Guadalcanal, running the Tokyo Express down "the slot." By October, the Americans were holding on by their fingernails and Admiral "Bull" Halsey was sent in to face the Japanese assault. The result: America's first defeat of the highly vaunted Japanese military machine that for years had conquered much of Asia. The whole story of Guadalcanal is told here chronologically; land, sea, and air battles are described from both sides. Drawing for the first time in English on many postwar Japanese sources, this book has an authenticity shared by no other rendition of the campaign." - from the inner front and rear jacket flaps.