Morning Star, Midnight Sun: The Guadalcanal-Solomons Naval Campaign of World War II

MORNING STAR MIDNIGHT SUN              JEFFREY COX

Following the disastrous Java Sea campaign, the Allies went on the offensive in the Pacific in a desperate attempt to halt the Japanese forces that were rampaging across the region. With the conquest of Australia a very real possibility, the stakes were high. Their target: the Japanese-held Soloman Islands, in particular the southern island of Guadalcanal.

Hamstrung by arcane pre-war thinking and a bureaucratic mind-set, the US Navy had to adapt on the fly in order to compete with the mighty Imperial Japanese Navy, whose ingenuity and creativity thus far had fostered the creation of its Pacific empire. Starting with the amphibious assault on Savo Island, the campaign turned into an attritional struggle where the evenly matched foes sought to grind out a victory.

Following on from his hugely successful book Rising Sun, Falling Skies, Jeffrey Cox tells the gripping story the first Allied offensive of the Pacific War, as the Allies sought prevent Japan from cutting off Australia and regaining dominance in the Pacific. 

PAT'S REVIEW

Mr. Cox has once again given us a thorough look at the Navy operations in and around Guadalcanal. The author takes you back briefly to the disastrous day of Pearl Harbor, and how General Macarthur though lost all of the planes he was ordered to protect by spacing out disobey the order, but still some who manage to stay in charge in the Pacific. This even after losing the Philippines with men and women but saving himself and staff, and saying that the U.S. Navy was the fourth best in the World behind Italy. That was the part of the book that really got me. The author then takes you through the planning and landing of the Marines on Guadalcanal, there fighting which would be for months. The battles at sea between the two Navy’s and how when you get to the end you really see that the loss of so many experienced pilots was beginning to take their toll on the Japanese Navy. You also get a look at how the American industry was beginning to start to rear its head. When in the early stages of the battles the Enterprise has to leave because of damage, but when it returns it is a more lethal fighting weapon with 16 new installed 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns in four quadruple mounts. These would be one of the most effective anti-aircraft guns during the war. The Enterprise would also be are only working carrier after this battle and would take on the Japanese Navy. The author also gives you a look at the inside of the going on in the Japanese Navy, their loses and changes they would make during the battle. Overall a very good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us atwww.1rad-readerreviews.com