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Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in World War II #2
The Solomons Campaigns 1942-1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville, Pacific War Turning Point
WINNER OF THE 2018 MILITARY SOCIETY WRITERS OF AMERICA SILVER MEDAL AWARD FOR HISTORY!
"Enough gripping drama, heroism, and heartbreak in McGee's almost encyclopedic 'The Solomons Campaigns' to supply Hollywood with material for a century."
- Marine Corps League Magazine
In Volume II of award-winning author William L. McGee’s acclaimed three-volume Pacific war series, the author covers all the Solomons Campaigns…from Guadalcanal to Bougainville...the major turning point in the Pacific war.
"William L. McGee has written the second of a three-volume set that will form a definitive account of naval, sea, and land operations in the South Pacific, where America's response to Pearl Harbor began….a thoroughgoing historical record and analysis that historians and scholars will find invaluable."
- Library Journal
Part I, The Southern Solomons covers the bloody six-month struggle for Guadalcanal. The relationship between ground fighting, naval warfare and air combat is described in considerable detail as first one side and then the other gains the advantage. Seven major naval engagements are recounted including America's severe defeat at Savo Island and decisive victory in the three-day Naval Battle of Guadalcanal--another notable turning point.
Part II, The Central Solomons chronicles the amphibious operations in the New Georgia Islands group including the five separate landings at Rendova, Segi Point, Viru Harbor, Wickham Anchorage, and Rice Anchorage, plus three more significant naval battles and the occupation of Vella Lavella.
Part III, The Northern Solomons recounts the seizure of the Treasuries, the Choiseul Diversion and the Bougainville campaign, plus two more significant naval battles.
Lessons Learned - Finally, the many valuable lessons learned during the Solomons Campaigns are summarized--ranging from logistic support and force requirements to offshore toeholds and leapfrogging. Most became doctrine in later Pacific campaigns.
310 b/w photos, 44 maps, plus charts, notes, appendices, bibliography, index, Paperback 6" x 9"
OTHER TITLES IN THE SERIES
Vol. I, THE AMPHIBIANS ARE COMING! Emergence of the Gator Navy and its Revolutionary Landing Craft
Vol. III, PACIFIC EXPRESS: The Critical Role of Military Logistics in World War II
EDITORIAL REVIEWS AND READER COMMENTS...
■ "Enough gripping drama, heroism, and heartbreak in McGee’s almost encyclopedic work to supply Hollywood with material for a century."
- Marine Corps League Magazine
■ "McGee has written the second of a three-volume set that will form a definitive account of naval, sea, and land operations in the South Pacific ... THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS is a thoroughgoing historical record and analysis that historians and scholars will find invaluable."
- Library Journal
■ "THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS is intended to accomplish a mighty task: to encompass the entire Solomons campaigns in a single, detailed study ... The result is a masterpiece."
- Leatherneck, Magazine of the Marines
■ "Enough dynamic action, derring-do, brutal horror and conflict to keep one of the edge of his chair for days on end."
- Sea Classics Magazine
■ "As a Marine who landed on Guadalcanal on 7 August 1942, THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS is the most comprehensive book that I've read on the war in the Solomons. It brought back memories of those very dark days. Semper Fi."
- William J. Carroll, President, Guadalcanal Campaign Veterans
■ "THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS will become the definitive work on the campaigns."
- John Cummer, President, USS LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry) National Association
■ "THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS is perfectly balanced between riveting history, personal narratives, and pleasing layout, packed with photos, maps, and illustrations. As the son of a Flotilla Five veteran of the Pacific, McGee's books are a fine tribute to all who served in that theater."
- Ron Swanson, Editor, The Flotilla Newsletter, LCT Flotillas of WWII
■ "One of the best books I've ever read on WWII. I was impressed with the scholarly effort the author put forth. I'm a former Marine and didn't know the kind of detail that occurred in that sector of the campaign, but I sure know now."
- Jim Cominsky, author
"Enough gripping drama, heroism, and heartbreak in McGee's almost encyclopedic 'The Solomons Campaigns' to supply Hollywood with material for a century."
- Marine Corps League Magazine
In Volume II of award-winning author William L. McGee’s acclaimed three-volume Pacific war series, the author covers all the Solomons Campaigns…from Guadalcanal to Bougainville...the major turning point in the Pacific war.
"William L. McGee has written the second of a three-volume set that will form a definitive account of naval, sea, and land operations in the South Pacific, where America's response to Pearl Harbor began….a thoroughgoing historical record and analysis that historians and scholars will find invaluable."
- Library Journal
Part I, The Southern Solomons covers the bloody six-month struggle for Guadalcanal. The relationship between ground fighting, naval warfare and air combat is described in considerable detail as first one side and then the other gains the advantage. Seven major naval engagements are recounted including America's severe defeat at Savo Island and decisive victory in the three-day Naval Battle of Guadalcanal--another notable turning point.
Part II, The Central Solomons chronicles the amphibious operations in the New Georgia Islands group including the five separate landings at Rendova, Segi Point, Viru Harbor, Wickham Anchorage, and Rice Anchorage, plus three more significant naval battles and the occupation of Vella Lavella.
Part III, The Northern Solomons recounts the seizure of the Treasuries, the Choiseul Diversion and the Bougainville campaign, plus two more significant naval battles.
Lessons Learned - Finally, the many valuable lessons learned during the Solomons Campaigns are summarized--ranging from logistic support and force requirements to offshore toeholds and leapfrogging. Most became doctrine in later Pacific campaigns.
310 b/w photos, 44 maps, plus charts, notes, appendices, bibliography, index, Paperback 6" x 9"
OTHER TITLES IN THE SERIES
Vol. I, THE AMPHIBIANS ARE COMING! Emergence of the Gator Navy and its Revolutionary Landing Craft
Vol. III, PACIFIC EXPRESS: The Critical Role of Military Logistics in World War II
EDITORIAL REVIEWS AND READER COMMENTS...
■ "Enough gripping drama, heroism, and heartbreak in McGee’s almost encyclopedic work to supply Hollywood with material for a century."
- Marine Corps League Magazine
■ "McGee has written the second of a three-volume set that will form a definitive account of naval, sea, and land operations in the South Pacific ... THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS is a thoroughgoing historical record and analysis that historians and scholars will find invaluable."
- Library Journal
■ "THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS is intended to accomplish a mighty task: to encompass the entire Solomons campaigns in a single, detailed study ... The result is a masterpiece."
- Leatherneck, Magazine of the Marines
■ "Enough dynamic action, derring-do, brutal horror and conflict to keep one of the edge of his chair for days on end."
- Sea Classics Magazine
■ "As a Marine who landed on Guadalcanal on 7 August 1942, THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS is the most comprehensive book that I've read on the war in the Solomons. It brought back memories of those very dark days. Semper Fi."
- William J. Carroll, President, Guadalcanal Campaign Veterans
■ "THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS will become the definitive work on the campaigns."
- John Cummer, President, USS LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry) National Association
■ "THE SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS is perfectly balanced between riveting history, personal narratives, and pleasing layout, packed with photos, maps, and illustrations. As the son of a Flotilla Five veteran of the Pacific, McGee's books are a fine tribute to all who served in that theater."
- Ron Swanson, Editor, The Flotilla Newsletter, LCT Flotillas of WWII
■ "One of the best books I've ever read on WWII. I was impressed with the scholarly effort the author put forth. I'm a former Marine and didn't know the kind of detail that occurred in that sector of the campaign, but I sure know now."
- Jim Cominsky, author
688 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2001
408 people want to read
About the author
William L. McGee
20 books23 followersWilliam L. "Bill" McGee writes about the history of which he was a part... whether it’s growing up in Montana during the hardscrabble years of the Depression, or joining the Navy in 1942 at age seventeen to get into the fight, or cowboying on an exclusive divorce ranch in Nevada in the postwar ’40s, or working in broadcasting in the early days of 1950s and ’60s television.
During his 32-year career in broadcast marketing and sales, McGee honed his writing skills in radio and television. His writing style is described as straightforward, journalistic, and as “precise and economical as a Mickey Spillane novel.” (Marine Corps League Magazine)
During his 32-year career in broadcast marketing and sales, McGee honed his writing skills in radio and television. His writing style is described as straightforward, journalistic, and as “precise and economical as a Mickey Spillane novel.” (Marine Corps League Magazine)
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May 20, 2018MWSA Review
William McGee in his book The Solomons Campaigns 1942-1943 provides an incredibly detailed and exhaustingly researched look at what some sailors from the campaign regard as a “forgotten little war.” From the early struggle to claw Guadalcanal back from the Japanese to the more polished and less opposed island hopping operations later in the war, McGee does an excellent job of relating the issues faced by those in command of not only the combatant ships, but also the commanders of the aircraft, transport vessels, and Marine units that took part in the campaign.
I especially enjoyed how the author, himself a veteran of this very campaign, seasoned his work with “sea stories” from his fellow veterans, especially those on the smaller, “unsung” transport ships like the LST’s and LCI’s. The end result is a work that not only tells the history of the geographical area during the war, but of the men who fought and sometimes died there as well. I was also impressed by the level of detail spread across all the various facets of warfare involved. There was equal time given to large ship actions, small ship actions, PT boat raids, and dogfights involving handfuls of aircraft. Platoon and company size actions were discussed along with Corps-sized movements. It was expected that there would be discussions about sailors, soldiers, Marines, and airmen. Less expected but much appreciated was the time given to corpsmen, Seabees, Pioneers, and other support forces, without whom there would have been no victory.
Those who enjoy historical work on World War Two, especially in the Pacific, will appreciate this book, as will those with a general interest in naval history or a particular interest in Admiral “Bull” Halsey, destroyer combat, Marine Raiders, or Navy Seabees.
Review by Rob Ballister (May 2018)
William McGee in his book The Solomons Campaigns 1942-1943 provides an incredibly detailed and exhaustingly researched look at what some sailors from the campaign regard as a “forgotten little war.” From the early struggle to claw Guadalcanal back from the Japanese to the more polished and less opposed island hopping operations later in the war, McGee does an excellent job of relating the issues faced by those in command of not only the combatant ships, but also the commanders of the aircraft, transport vessels, and Marine units that took part in the campaign.
I especially enjoyed how the author, himself a veteran of this very campaign, seasoned his work with “sea stories” from his fellow veterans, especially those on the smaller, “unsung” transport ships like the LST’s and LCI’s. The end result is a work that not only tells the history of the geographical area during the war, but of the men who fought and sometimes died there as well. I was also impressed by the level of detail spread across all the various facets of warfare involved. There was equal time given to large ship actions, small ship actions, PT boat raids, and dogfights involving handfuls of aircraft. Platoon and company size actions were discussed along with Corps-sized movements. It was expected that there would be discussions about sailors, soldiers, Marines, and airmen. Less expected but much appreciated was the time given to corpsmen, Seabees, Pioneers, and other support forces, without whom there would have been no victory.
Those who enjoy historical work on World War Two, especially in the Pacific, will appreciate this book, as will those with a general interest in naval history or a particular interest in Admiral “Bull” Halsey, destroyer combat, Marine Raiders, or Navy Seabees.
Review by Rob Ballister (May 2018)
October 14, 2017
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
Having read the first book in the series [1], I was pleased that the author sent me this book to read after I spoke to a group of veterans of logistics ships in World War II [2]. I'll have to admit that the length of this book put me off for a while. It's hard to look at a book that is 600 pages and not think that there are books that are faster to read, and yet this book didn't take too long to read when I finally got around to it. I just wish that I had gotten around to it earlier, as it is a really interesting book that looks at a somewhat obscure and forgotten area of World War II and does justice to its context and the lessons learned by the Navy. This is precisely the sort of history of World War II that deserves to be written more often and read, especially as it focuses on areas of logistics that are of critical importance to soldiers but are often neglected by armchair generals who love discussing tactical victories.
The contents of this book are pretty expansive. In about 600 pages worth of material including the appendices to the works, the author manages to pack in a great deal of information. Part One of the book contains the first three chapters about Guadalcanal. The book begins with a discussion of the strategic decisions, plans, and preparations for the Guadalcanal campaign. After this comes a chapter on the landings on that fetid island. A very lengthy chapter of nearly two hundred pages then follows on the lengthy six-month struggle for the island as the Japanese and Americans both made piecemeal reinforcements of their garrisons and engaged in a deadly and immensely destructive naval war of attrition for control of the seas around Guadalcanal. The second part of the book looks at the Central Solomons campaign, with four chapters on the amphibious rehearsals in the Russells, the lull between the storms, the invasion of New Georgia, and the occupation of Vella Lavella. The third part of the book contains the last two chapters, which look at the successful Bouganville campaign to capture that troubled island and a discussion of some of the lessons learned in the fight over those islands from August 19th 1943 to November 19 1943.
There are a lot of reasons why this is a great worth that deserves to be read even with its length. For one, it discusses areas of World War II that are somewhat neglected--both in terms of the obscure campaigns of the Central and Northern Solomon Islands that helped to originate the famous island-hopping strategy of the United States during the Pacific War as well as the vital importance of logistics in determining the success of the United States and its allies in these campaigns. In addition to that, the book is written with a great deal of charisma and charm and the author is quick to give credit to other historians who have discussed matters of importance, which he quotes with attribution and obvious respect. The author comes off not only as immensely knowledgeable but also as immensely likable, and that is something of great and often neglected importance when it comes to matters of military history. In giving a master class of how to write a book that is a compelling volume as well as part of a deeply interesting series about often neglected or forgotten areas of history.
[1] https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
[2] https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
Having read the first book in the series [1], I was pleased that the author sent me this book to read after I spoke to a group of veterans of logistics ships in World War II [2]. I'll have to admit that the length of this book put me off for a while. It's hard to look at a book that is 600 pages and not think that there are books that are faster to read, and yet this book didn't take too long to read when I finally got around to it. I just wish that I had gotten around to it earlier, as it is a really interesting book that looks at a somewhat obscure and forgotten area of World War II and does justice to its context and the lessons learned by the Navy. This is precisely the sort of history of World War II that deserves to be written more often and read, especially as it focuses on areas of logistics that are of critical importance to soldiers but are often neglected by armchair generals who love discussing tactical victories.
The contents of this book are pretty expansive. In about 600 pages worth of material including the appendices to the works, the author manages to pack in a great deal of information. Part One of the book contains the first three chapters about Guadalcanal. The book begins with a discussion of the strategic decisions, plans, and preparations for the Guadalcanal campaign. After this comes a chapter on the landings on that fetid island. A very lengthy chapter of nearly two hundred pages then follows on the lengthy six-month struggle for the island as the Japanese and Americans both made piecemeal reinforcements of their garrisons and engaged in a deadly and immensely destructive naval war of attrition for control of the seas around Guadalcanal. The second part of the book looks at the Central Solomons campaign, with four chapters on the amphibious rehearsals in the Russells, the lull between the storms, the invasion of New Georgia, and the occupation of Vella Lavella. The third part of the book contains the last two chapters, which look at the successful Bouganville campaign to capture that troubled island and a discussion of some of the lessons learned in the fight over those islands from August 19th 1943 to November 19 1943.
There are a lot of reasons why this is a great worth that deserves to be read even with its length. For one, it discusses areas of World War II that are somewhat neglected--both in terms of the obscure campaigns of the Central and Northern Solomon Islands that helped to originate the famous island-hopping strategy of the United States during the Pacific War as well as the vital importance of logistics in determining the success of the United States and its allies in these campaigns. In addition to that, the book is written with a great deal of charisma and charm and the author is quick to give credit to other historians who have discussed matters of importance, which he quotes with attribution and obvious respect. The author comes off not only as immensely knowledgeable but also as immensely likable, and that is something of great and often neglected importance when it comes to matters of military history. In giving a master class of how to write a book that is a compelling volume as well as part of a deeply interesting series about often neglected or forgotten areas of history.
[1] https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
[2] https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
July 21, 2019
Reviewed and scored as part of the MWSA awards program. Results will be released in November.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews