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Devil’s Fire, Southern Cross: The Conclusion of the Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign, October 1943–February 1944
A fast-paced and absorbing read of the final months of the crucial Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign during the Pacific War by esteemed World War II historian Jeffrey Cox.
This page-turning history examines the closing months of the vital campaign which ultimately determined the successful conclusion of the Pacific War for the Allies. But it had not been a smooth process. The campaign continued in fits and starts with both the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy making crucial errors.
But as the pendulum of war swung, there was one distinct advantage to the Allies. This was the successful efforts by the United States Army Signals Intelligence Section and the Navy Communication Special Unit to monitor, intercept, decode and translate Japanese messages. It was thanks in part to this intelligence breakthrough that victory was secured at the Battles of Empress Augusta Bay and Cape St. George as well as the bitterly contested Bougainville invasion. But it was also due to improvements in strategic and tactical doctrine on the part of the US Navy, so much so that the Battle of Cape St. George was dubbed the almost textbook-perfect battle.
At the start of the Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign the US Navy was the underdog. By its conclusion, US naval commanders had come of age. Combining first-rate scholarly research with a novelist's flair for the dramatic, Jeff Cox concludes his brilliant quartet on this key campaign.
This page-turning history examines the closing months of the vital campaign which ultimately determined the successful conclusion of the Pacific War for the Allies. But it had not been a smooth process. The campaign continued in fits and starts with both the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy making crucial errors.
But as the pendulum of war swung, there was one distinct advantage to the Allies. This was the successful efforts by the United States Army Signals Intelligence Section and the Navy Communication Special Unit to monitor, intercept, decode and translate Japanese messages. It was thanks in part to this intelligence breakthrough that victory was secured at the Battles of Empress Augusta Bay and Cape St. George as well as the bitterly contested Bougainville invasion. But it was also due to improvements in strategic and tactical doctrine on the part of the US Navy, so much so that the Battle of Cape St. George was dubbed the almost textbook-perfect battle.
At the start of the Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign the US Navy was the underdog. By its conclusion, US naval commanders had come of age. Combining first-rate scholarly research with a novelist's flair for the dramatic, Jeff Cox concludes his brilliant quartet on this key campaign.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published June 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 25, 2026
Good, in-depth narrative of the end of the Solomon Islands campaign, but Lordy is the author's voice irritating.
August 6, 2026
***Disclaimer: I have to offer two ratings for this book. One for the content and one for the author and his prose.***
Content rating: 5 star. “Devil’s Fire, Southern Cross” is a fitting end to a 4 part series on the Solomons campaign ranging from August 7, 1942 to about March 1, 1944. In keeping with the previous 3 works, each individual naval battle is well presented and detailed. For the content and story-telling, I give this book and series 5 stars.
Author: 2 stars. The first of Cox’s books I read was about the Java Sea campaign. It was well researched, detailed and an enjoyable read. The quips and sarcastic remarks were few but well placed. Cox’s way of presenting military history as a narrative was new and didn’t seem to distract from the story.
HOWEVER, with each new work, starting with the 1st installment of the Solomons epoch, the sarcastic remarks, quips and offhanded comments grew with each work. In “Devil’s Fire, Southern Cross”, all of these things can be found in almost every 3rd paragraph. At this point, it was distracting from the history and those who were involved. At some levels, Cox is so dismissive and disparaging with his comments that it borders on insult and serves as a vessel to cheapen the sacrifice of Japanese and Allied combatants alike. It is a rough volume to finish.
If it were not for my fascination with the Solomons campaign, I would have avoided the final entries of this series. It must be said, the history is well researched. However, Cox’s career as an attorney comes through LOUD AND CLEAR in his writing. Tell the story, honor the sacrifice of those involved and leave your campy popular culture quips out of the narrative.
Content rating: 5 star. “Devil’s Fire, Southern Cross” is a fitting end to a 4 part series on the Solomons campaign ranging from August 7, 1942 to about March 1, 1944. In keeping with the previous 3 works, each individual naval battle is well presented and detailed. For the content and story-telling, I give this book and series 5 stars.
Author: 2 stars. The first of Cox’s books I read was about the Java Sea campaign. It was well researched, detailed and an enjoyable read. The quips and sarcastic remarks were few but well placed. Cox’s way of presenting military history as a narrative was new and didn’t seem to distract from the story.
HOWEVER, with each new work, starting with the 1st installment of the Solomons epoch, the sarcastic remarks, quips and offhanded comments grew with each work. In “Devil’s Fire, Southern Cross”, all of these things can be found in almost every 3rd paragraph. At this point, it was distracting from the history and those who were involved. At some levels, Cox is so dismissive and disparaging with his comments that it borders on insult and serves as a vessel to cheapen the sacrifice of Japanese and Allied combatants alike. It is a rough volume to finish.
If it were not for my fascination with the Solomons campaign, I would have avoided the final entries of this series. It must be said, the history is well researched. However, Cox’s career as an attorney comes through LOUD AND CLEAR in his writing. Tell the story, honor the sacrifice of those involved and leave your campy popular culture quips out of the narrative.
March 22, 2026
The authors other books were good. This one was written more like an academic book with LOTS of details. He would tell all the types of planes in an attack and sometimes even the pilot names when that had little relationship to the overall story. These excessive details took away from the flow of the story. Not sure why it was written so differently than his other books.
July 19, 2026
An exhaustive account
A compressive account of the action in the second part of the Solomon Islands campaign. Detailed and thorough accounts of both naval and air actions in the region.
A compressive account of the action in the second part of the Solomon Islands campaign. Detailed and thorough accounts of both naval and air actions in the region.
March 22, 2026
a
A good overview of the conclusion of the Guadalcanal Solomons campaign. This is the third volume I have read by Jeffrey Cox
A good overview of the conclusion of the Guadalcanal Solomons campaign. This is the third volume I have read by Jeffrey Cox
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews