What do you think?
Rate this book
Midnight in the Pacific: Guadalcanal--The World War II Battle That Turned the Tide of War
The first U.S. offensive of World War II began with no fanfare early August 7, 1942. But, before it ended six months later with the first U.S. land victory, Guadalcanal was a household name. There, marines faced bloody banzai attacks in the stifling malarial jungles while the U.S. sailors and pilots battled Japanese air and sea armadas day and night. The all–in battles consumed thousands of men, hundreds of planes, and dozens of warships and— stopped the Japanese Juggernaut. Guadalcanal was the Pacific War's turning point.
Published on the 75th anniversary of the battle, Midnight in the Pacific is both a sweeping narrative and a compelling drama of individual Marines, soldiers, and sailors caught in the cross–hairs of history.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2017
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
September 25, 2017
On the evening of August 9th, 1942 in the words of Lieutenant Merillat “As the sun set behind the mountains no friendly ships hovered offshore and no friendly planes patrolled the skies. We were on our own.”
After dropping off Marines on Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Gavutu, the United States Navy suffered one of it’s greatest defeats of the Second World War at Savo Island, resulting in the abandonment of the Marines at the beginning of their campaign to capture Guadalcanal. The primary target for capture was an airfield (soon named Henderson Airfield) that would give the Allies a strategic advantage. As half of the Marine’s supplies sailed away with the retreating Navy, one of the most storied campaigns in Marine and WW2 history began.
In Midnight in the Pacific, Author Joseph Wheelan pulls the reader onto the battlefield as inexperienced young men come to adjust their tactics and their sense of fair play to counter the vicious and calculated fighting behavior of their enemy. Numerous instances of medics being blown to pieces by the concealed grenades of the injured Japanese while attempting to assist the wounded begin the transformation of naive young Americans into the hardened killers that war required of them – they begin to refuse to take prisoners at all.
As the fighting intensifies the reader finds themselves looking, along with the Marines, to the sky and the shoreline and thinking “surely they’ve endured enough”. Instead one bloody battle after another continues to wipe out some of the bravest men to ever wear a uniform. Wheelan reminds us of their sacrifice, citing numerous instances of valor that led to Medals of Honor and Navy Crosses. In these individual acts, as much as the collective action, the legend of Guadalcanal was created and remains today.
After the battles of Bloody Ridge, too many clashes at Matanikau to keep track of (there were 5), and the “Cactus Air Force” defending Henderson Field with little sleep from constant bombardment, the Navy finally returned under a new, aggressive and highly competent leader, William “Bull” Halsey. Along with Major General Vandegrift leading the Marines on land, Halsey’s bold moves during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal led directly to final US victory on the island.
As Wheelan himself notes, the Army could never match the bravery and tenacity that the Marines had endured before them, though they certainly fought valiantly. The unmistakable conclusion is that it was the pure grit and ability to survive of the Marines stranded there in August 1942 that made the later victory possible at all and helped stop the unchecked Japanese advance across the Pacific.
Throughout the book, Wheelan includes looks in at the Japanese side of the campaign that help add to the rich storytelling and feel for the harshness of the terrain and uncompromising triumph-or-die “bushido” code that led many Japanese to take their own lives. He notes the inherent weakness of this as it applied to skilled pilots who refused to use their parachutes, preferring death to capture. This rapidly depleted talent on the Japanese side. Wheelan also notes that too strict an adherence to previous plans with no room for flexibility caused many unnecessary failures on the Japanese side.
It was not just Japan, however, who suffered from inadequacies born of stubbornness. The US Navy, Wheelan argues, continually underestimated the Japanese and were particularly unprepared for naval night fighting. Newer technologies were underutilized during the Guadalcanal campaign such as the latest radar (such as using the older SC vs SG technology) and not enough attention was given to lack of success of US Navy torpedoes, particularly when compared to the damage done by the Japanese “Long Lance” torpedoes.
Overall, this book is an entertaining, fast-paced, adventure wrapped in stories of valor, horror and survival while remaining a necessary contribution to the history of Guadalcanal.
After dropping off Marines on Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Gavutu, the United States Navy suffered one of it’s greatest defeats of the Second World War at Savo Island, resulting in the abandonment of the Marines at the beginning of their campaign to capture Guadalcanal. The primary target for capture was an airfield (soon named Henderson Airfield) that would give the Allies a strategic advantage. As half of the Marine’s supplies sailed away with the retreating Navy, one of the most storied campaigns in Marine and WW2 history began.
In Midnight in the Pacific, Author Joseph Wheelan pulls the reader onto the battlefield as inexperienced young men come to adjust their tactics and their sense of fair play to counter the vicious and calculated fighting behavior of their enemy. Numerous instances of medics being blown to pieces by the concealed grenades of the injured Japanese while attempting to assist the wounded begin the transformation of naive young Americans into the hardened killers that war required of them – they begin to refuse to take prisoners at all.
As the fighting intensifies the reader finds themselves looking, along with the Marines, to the sky and the shoreline and thinking “surely they’ve endured enough”. Instead one bloody battle after another continues to wipe out some of the bravest men to ever wear a uniform. Wheelan reminds us of their sacrifice, citing numerous instances of valor that led to Medals of Honor and Navy Crosses. In these individual acts, as much as the collective action, the legend of Guadalcanal was created and remains today.
After the battles of Bloody Ridge, too many clashes at Matanikau to keep track of (there were 5), and the “Cactus Air Force” defending Henderson Field with little sleep from constant bombardment, the Navy finally returned under a new, aggressive and highly competent leader, William “Bull” Halsey. Along with Major General Vandegrift leading the Marines on land, Halsey’s bold moves during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal led directly to final US victory on the island.
As Wheelan himself notes, the Army could never match the bravery and tenacity that the Marines had endured before them, though they certainly fought valiantly. The unmistakable conclusion is that it was the pure grit and ability to survive of the Marines stranded there in August 1942 that made the later victory possible at all and helped stop the unchecked Japanese advance across the Pacific.
Throughout the book, Wheelan includes looks in at the Japanese side of the campaign that help add to the rich storytelling and feel for the harshness of the terrain and uncompromising triumph-or-die “bushido” code that led many Japanese to take their own lives. He notes the inherent weakness of this as it applied to skilled pilots who refused to use their parachutes, preferring death to capture. This rapidly depleted talent on the Japanese side. Wheelan also notes that too strict an adherence to previous plans with no room for flexibility caused many unnecessary failures on the Japanese side.
It was not just Japan, however, who suffered from inadequacies born of stubbornness. The US Navy, Wheelan argues, continually underestimated the Japanese and were particularly unprepared for naval night fighting. Newer technologies were underutilized during the Guadalcanal campaign such as the latest radar (such as using the older SC vs SG technology) and not enough attention was given to lack of success of US Navy torpedoes, particularly when compared to the damage done by the Japanese “Long Lance” torpedoes.
Overall, this book is an entertaining, fast-paced, adventure wrapped in stories of valor, horror and survival while remaining a necessary contribution to the history of Guadalcanal.
June 4, 2018
This is a gripping account of the land, sea, and air fighting at Guadalcanal. The Battle of Guadalcanal was a bitterly contested struggle between two fairly evenly matched adversaries (evenly matched until the US achieved massive superiority at any rate), and it was fought under appalling conditions. The Japanese fought with a suicidal ferocity that seemed demonic to the marines. Wounded Japanese troops would kill American medics trying to help them, insuring their own deaths rather than be taken prisoner, and they would also torture captured marines within earshot of American lines to demoralize them and tempt them into ambushes. Even the Nazis didn’t do these kinds of things. Soon, no quarter was being given on either side.
The naval battles being fought in the sea lanes around Guadalcanal were so devastating to both sides that the waters between Guadalcanal and Florida Island became known as Iron Bottom Sound. And the battles in the air were just as ferocious, with marine and naval aviators dog fighting with zeros virtually every day.
Joseph Wheelan writes with clarity and a proper sense of the battle’s drama, and his analysis of the events is convincing.
The naval battles being fought in the sea lanes around Guadalcanal were so devastating to both sides that the waters between Guadalcanal and Florida Island became known as Iron Bottom Sound. And the battles in the air were just as ferocious, with marine and naval aviators dog fighting with zeros virtually every day.
Joseph Wheelan writes with clarity and a proper sense of the battle’s drama, and his analysis of the events is convincing.
May 4, 2021
The fight for Guadalcanal was the Pacific war in miniature, though this book was anything but. This is an excellent detailed history of the battle from the very beginning when the Japanese built an airfield there while on the offensive all the way to the end as they retreated in the night after weeks of starvation and death. All land, air, and sea battles are covered here in minute detail and if you're one for nitty gritty down to the last man histories of war, this is one of the best I've read. It tells the tale of a turning war in the American's favor as manufacturing back home finally starts to catch up and surpass other nations at the end of 1942 and into 1943. Japan knew from early on their only real hope of beating the United States was a giant knockout punch (Pearl Harbor) or two in the hopes that America would bow out, as unlikely as that is. Japan didn't have the resources or manpower in the long run and Guadalcanal tells the whole story of the Pacific war on a much smaller scale. Iive read a number of first hand accounts from average guys on the ground like Robert Leckie and Eugene Sledge (both of whom are mentioned numerous times in this book), but to get a full overview of it all was a treat. For some this may be a bit too detailed in it's telling of losses plane by plane and troop movements mile by mile, but I found it engrossing and had a hard time putting it down.
September 11, 2020
This book gives a good case for studying the battle of Guadalcanal and its significance in World War II. The author himself draws the connection between this campaign and others within the Civil War, arguing that Guadalcanal was a major turning point. And while there was a great deal of war to be fought after the eventual American victory at Guadalcanal, which took months to deliver and was a near-run thing that could have been stymied by greater concentration and logistical preparation among the Japanese, it is indeed true that the attritional nature of the American victory in the area allowed for American units to increase their skill level and prepare them for the challenges ahead in the island hopping efforts of the Pacific War even as it removed the ability of the Japanese to engage in further advances and relegated Japan to the defensive, where they would continue to fight two and a half years after Guadalcanal, which marked their furthest advance and gave an understanding of how and why it was that the United States and its allies would push back the Japanese position and ever-increasingly threaten the survival and well-being of Japan's homeland itself. Guadalcanal was decisive because it was fought over for so long and so hard with such large numbers of planes, ships, and men operating at the end of their logistical lines in fierce combat on both sides.
This book is about 300 pages long and it covers the span of battle in Guadalcanal from August 1942 to February 1943, when the United States achieved full victory after the Japanese withdrawal. The book begins with two chapters that explore the initial August battles, including the Marine invasion and the naval disaster at the First Battle of Savo Island (1), and the successful Marine defense in the attacks of bombing raids as well as the Battle of Alligator Creek (2). After that the author explores the Marine feelings of abandonment that took place in September (3) as well as the showdown between October as the Americans and Japanese attacked into each other simultaneously (4). Then comes a discussion of Halsey's aggressive naval challenges (5). The book then winds down with a look at the army taking over now that the sector was less urgently contested (6) and America had more resources to provide, as well as the operation by the Japanese to evacuate its able-bodied survivors while the United States claimed a costly but decisive victory (7). The book then ends with an epilogue, acknowledgements, notes, bibliography, and index.
One thing that this book does very well is to frame the Guadalcanal campaign in chronological order, so that the shifting nature of the battle and its various components can be understood. The initial American success on land was a surprise, but so too was the initial Japanese naval success, not followed up on, in Savo Island. Both the United States and Japan originally fought at Guadalcanal at the end of very long supply lines, but the US did a better job at building and holding airfields to turn the island battlefield into a base for further assaults. American superiority in relations with the locals gave America a noted intelligence advantage in many ways that also proved decisive in handling the Japanese aerial assaults that came from faraway Rabaul, and although there were plenty of mistakes made on both sides, it does appear as if the United States was able to move from vulnerability to strength as Japan moved from strength to extreme weakness and privation, unable to replace its ship, plane, and human losses that were fed piecemeal into a campaign that was decisive because of how much was lost and not the territory itself.
This book is about 300 pages long and it covers the span of battle in Guadalcanal from August 1942 to February 1943, when the United States achieved full victory after the Japanese withdrawal. The book begins with two chapters that explore the initial August battles, including the Marine invasion and the naval disaster at the First Battle of Savo Island (1), and the successful Marine defense in the attacks of bombing raids as well as the Battle of Alligator Creek (2). After that the author explores the Marine feelings of abandonment that took place in September (3) as well as the showdown between October as the Americans and Japanese attacked into each other simultaneously (4). Then comes a discussion of Halsey's aggressive naval challenges (5). The book then winds down with a look at the army taking over now that the sector was less urgently contested (6) and America had more resources to provide, as well as the operation by the Japanese to evacuate its able-bodied survivors while the United States claimed a costly but decisive victory (7). The book then ends with an epilogue, acknowledgements, notes, bibliography, and index.
One thing that this book does very well is to frame the Guadalcanal campaign in chronological order, so that the shifting nature of the battle and its various components can be understood. The initial American success on land was a surprise, but so too was the initial Japanese naval success, not followed up on, in Savo Island. Both the United States and Japan originally fought at Guadalcanal at the end of very long supply lines, but the US did a better job at building and holding airfields to turn the island battlefield into a base for further assaults. American superiority in relations with the locals gave America a noted intelligence advantage in many ways that also proved decisive in handling the Japanese aerial assaults that came from faraway Rabaul, and although there were plenty of mistakes made on both sides, it does appear as if the United States was able to move from vulnerability to strength as Japan moved from strength to extreme weakness and privation, unable to replace its ship, plane, and human losses that were fed piecemeal into a campaign that was decisive because of how much was lost and not the territory itself.
March 22, 2023
Wonderful job delving into the rich history of the battle on and off the shores of Guadalcanal. My only complaint was how the book was laid out and jumped around a fair bit. A few more chapters instead of 7 long ones would have done the book wonders, organizationally. Contentwise, fantastic stuff.
February 23, 2026
really good tactical and operational descriptions from first and second hand sources. wish I had a map handy the whole time
December 2, 2021
Guadalcanal was one of the turning point battles of World War 2, along with El Alamein and Stalingrad. Over the course of long months in 1942 and 1943, American Marines, sailors, soldiers, and airmen ground down the cream of the Imperial Japanese military that had run rampant over the Pacific after Pearl Harbor.
Wheelan ably remixes older beats, drawing heavily from standard memoirs like Leckie's With the Old Breed and Hara's Japanese Destroyer Captain to describe the chaos of the campaign. Guadalcanal, at the base of the Solomon Islands, would threaten sea lanes between the United States and Australia in the hands of the Japanese. A hastily organized Marine landing force captured the airbase under construction, naming it Henderson Field after a Marine pilot killed at the Battle of Midway. But thousands of Japanese troops still remained on the island, and in the first Battle of the Savo Islands, an American fleet was comprehensively defeated by the superior night fighting skills of the Japanese Navy.
The campaign settled into a brutal equilibrium. By day, the planes of the Cactus Air Force controlled the seas around Guadalcanal. But the night belonged to the Japanese, who shelled and bombed the Americans while landing more troops. At the Battle of Bloody Ridge, Edson's Marine Raiders held off an assault which would have overwhelmed the airfield, and as the months wore on, American strength increased while Japanese strength decreased, culminating in the mass starvation of Japanese forces on the island and an eventual retreat.
Guadalcanal was a war of commanders, machines, and ultimately ordinary fighting men. On the first account, the two sides were most unevenly matched. Admiral Ghormley, the initial American overall commander lacked aggressiveness and failed to contend the battle. But General Vandergrift of the Marines, Ghormley's successor Admiral Halsey, and Nimitz and King in strategic roles, were much more successful. While Japanese commanders scored impressive tactical victories, the divided IJN/IJA command structure was slow to recognize the importance of Guadalcanal or focus on the strategic airfield at the heart of the campaign. Japanese machinery was superior to the the American equipment, especially the Long Lance torpedo and Zero fighter, though American ships and airplanes were adequate. The Japanese and Marines were fearsome and dedicated fighters in close combat, with the Marine advantage in firepower overmatching more archaic Japanese tactics of bayonet charges that had worked on Chinese and colonial armies before. But ultimately, the American side adapted to the developing battle, while the Japanese expensively reinforced failure. A comparison of stalemates is illuminating. Multiple actions of the Matanikau River showed the American offensives did not always work, and while each attack killed hundreds of Marines and soldiers to little gain, Japanese attacks on the perimeter ended in thousands of casualties and left entire units ineffective for further action.
Almost 70 years on, there's little about Guadalcanal that hasn't been said already. Wheelan's book ably synthesizes the existing secondary literature.
Wheelan ably remixes older beats, drawing heavily from standard memoirs like Leckie's With the Old Breed and Hara's Japanese Destroyer Captain to describe the chaos of the campaign. Guadalcanal, at the base of the Solomon Islands, would threaten sea lanes between the United States and Australia in the hands of the Japanese. A hastily organized Marine landing force captured the airbase under construction, naming it Henderson Field after a Marine pilot killed at the Battle of Midway. But thousands of Japanese troops still remained on the island, and in the first Battle of the Savo Islands, an American fleet was comprehensively defeated by the superior night fighting skills of the Japanese Navy.
The campaign settled into a brutal equilibrium. By day, the planes of the Cactus Air Force controlled the seas around Guadalcanal. But the night belonged to the Japanese, who shelled and bombed the Americans while landing more troops. At the Battle of Bloody Ridge, Edson's Marine Raiders held off an assault which would have overwhelmed the airfield, and as the months wore on, American strength increased while Japanese strength decreased, culminating in the mass starvation of Japanese forces on the island and an eventual retreat.
Guadalcanal was a war of commanders, machines, and ultimately ordinary fighting men. On the first account, the two sides were most unevenly matched. Admiral Ghormley, the initial American overall commander lacked aggressiveness and failed to contend the battle. But General Vandergrift of the Marines, Ghormley's successor Admiral Halsey, and Nimitz and King in strategic roles, were much more successful. While Japanese commanders scored impressive tactical victories, the divided IJN/IJA command structure was slow to recognize the importance of Guadalcanal or focus on the strategic airfield at the heart of the campaign. Japanese machinery was superior to the the American equipment, especially the Long Lance torpedo and Zero fighter, though American ships and airplanes were adequate. The Japanese and Marines were fearsome and dedicated fighters in close combat, with the Marine advantage in firepower overmatching more archaic Japanese tactics of bayonet charges that had worked on Chinese and colonial armies before. But ultimately, the American side adapted to the developing battle, while the Japanese expensively reinforced failure. A comparison of stalemates is illuminating. Multiple actions of the Matanikau River showed the American offensives did not always work, and while each attack killed hundreds of Marines and soldiers to little gain, Japanese attacks on the perimeter ended in thousands of casualties and left entire units ineffective for further action.
Almost 70 years on, there's little about Guadalcanal that hasn't been said already. Wheelan's book ably synthesizes the existing secondary literature.
December 16, 2020
Add Joseph Wheelan's Midnight in the Pacific: Guadalcanal - The World War II Battle That Turned the Tide of War to the canon of outstanding World War II narrative non-fiction.
Wheelan offers readers an in-depth exploration of all phases of the battle, from the initial confusion by the Japanese army of U.S. interest in the island (the Japanese navy had failed to tell their land-based counterparts that they had nearly completed a massive airfield on Guadalcanal) to the final escape of roughly 10,000 emaciated, diseased soldiers from the island. There is good reason for the doggerel "And when he gets to Heaven | To St. Peter he will tell: | One more Marine reporting, sir — | I've served my time in hell.
In between he recounts the individual battles that comprised the campaign, the hellish conditions faced by men on both sides (it wasn't uncommon for a soldier to know the agonies of dysentery and malaria, often simultaneously - to say nothing of the tropical conditions that caused clothing to literally disintegrate), and the cultural divide that so drove strategy on both sides of the war. Probably my favorite example is the Japanese Vice Admiral's report on a particularly brutal battle (for the Japanese) in which he wrote: "The situation isn't developing to our advantage." Indeed. Likewise, Wheelan enumerates the differences between American and Japanese soldiers in which he notes that the Japanese pilots rarely used their parachutes, in stark contrast the Americans who did everything possible to live to fight another day...and to live, period.
As I said, this is one of the great World War II works out there, along with the likes of Lost in Shangri-La, On the Eve of a Hundred Midnights, Flyboys, and Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. Perhaps even more than the others, Wheelan captures the hellish environment in which such hellish battles were fought. Coupled with the fact that the Marines' average age was 20, it's easy to see why this was the greatest generation.
Wheelan offers readers an in-depth exploration of all phases of the battle, from the initial confusion by the Japanese army of U.S. interest in the island (the Japanese navy had failed to tell their land-based counterparts that they had nearly completed a massive airfield on Guadalcanal) to the final escape of roughly 10,000 emaciated, diseased soldiers from the island. There is good reason for the doggerel "And when he gets to Heaven | To St. Peter he will tell: | One more Marine reporting, sir — | I've served my time in hell.
In between he recounts the individual battles that comprised the campaign, the hellish conditions faced by men on both sides (it wasn't uncommon for a soldier to know the agonies of dysentery and malaria, often simultaneously - to say nothing of the tropical conditions that caused clothing to literally disintegrate), and the cultural divide that so drove strategy on both sides of the war. Probably my favorite example is the Japanese Vice Admiral's report on a particularly brutal battle (for the Japanese) in which he wrote: "The situation isn't developing to our advantage." Indeed. Likewise, Wheelan enumerates the differences between American and Japanese soldiers in which he notes that the Japanese pilots rarely used their parachutes, in stark contrast the Americans who did everything possible to live to fight another day...and to live, period.
As I said, this is one of the great World War II works out there, along with the likes of Lost in Shangri-La, On the Eve of a Hundred Midnights, Flyboys, and Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. Perhaps even more than the others, Wheelan captures the hellish environment in which such hellish battles were fought. Coupled with the fact that the Marines' average age was 20, it's easy to see why this was the greatest generation.
November 4, 2017
I thought I would read this book because it is currently the 75th anniversary of this important battle that ended any hopes of Japan succeeding in World War 2.
Written for general audiences with just the right amount of details to cover the six months of the campaign.
Unlike later battles between the Americans and the Japanese, this engagement could have easily resulted in an American defeat. The two sides were equally matched for the first couple of months. The Japanese were doomed to lose because their infantry tactics were no match for the American Marines. Even when outnumbered, the Marines knew how to hold their own.
At sea the Japanese proved to be better, but the Americans could afford to lose ships that they could replace. For the Japanese, every ship lost was irreplaceable.
Someone unfamiliar with Guadalcanal would find this a great one volume read.
Written for general audiences with just the right amount of details to cover the six months of the campaign.
Unlike later battles between the Americans and the Japanese, this engagement could have easily resulted in an American defeat. The two sides were equally matched for the first couple of months. The Japanese were doomed to lose because their infantry tactics were no match for the American Marines. Even when outnumbered, the Marines knew how to hold their own.
At sea the Japanese proved to be better, but the Americans could afford to lose ships that they could replace. For the Japanese, every ship lost was irreplaceable.
Someone unfamiliar with Guadalcanal would find this a great one volume read.
October 7, 2020
A fantastic book about a heroic and epic struggle of which I knew nothing about.
November 29, 2017
Guadalcanal was more than a battle, it was a campaign - hastily conceived, planned and initiated all in six weeks. It was similar in nature and significance to Stalingrad... as Stalingrad marked the turning of the tide for the Germany, so did Guadalcanal mark the end of Japan's dominance and conquest. It was a near thing for months - the campaign lasted seven months from August 1942 into February 1943. Control of the seas around Guadalcanal changed every 12 hours. Epic naval battles - daily air battles - bloody and desperate land battles fought tooth and nail in horrible jungle conditions made worse by disease, hunger, inadequate resupply and piecemeal reinforcement on both sides. All the flaws in Japanese strategy, tactics and logistics came to light. The ruthless and merciless Japanese treatment of prisoners and the Japanese cultural indifference to life set the tone for the implacable nature of the Pacific war as it then ensued. No quarter was given by the Japanese, and before long none was offered by the Marines. It is a compelling story.
Wheelan is a life-long journalist by profession and he writes this history in a professional journalistic style - who, what, why, when, where and how - and it reads like a feature article in a Sunday paper. I mean that as a compliment - this book is easy to read. It is comprehensive - Wheelan lays out tactics and strategies, cultural influences, individuals and their characters, weapons and concise, spellbinding descriptions of battles and their dynamics and ebbs and flows. He intersperses personal interest features throughout. It is an excellent history - a superb read.
Wheelan is a life-long journalist by profession and he writes this history in a professional journalistic style - who, what, why, when, where and how - and it reads like a feature article in a Sunday paper. I mean that as a compliment - this book is easy to read. It is comprehensive - Wheelan lays out tactics and strategies, cultural influences, individuals and their characters, weapons and concise, spellbinding descriptions of battles and their dynamics and ebbs and flows. He intersperses personal interest features throughout. It is an excellent history - a superb read.
January 19, 2026
During the long duration on Guadalcanal, the Marines endured a brutal onslaught against the Japanese Imperial Army.
Naval bombardments, air raids, midnight attacks, and so much more, led to days that were never ending.
It never ceases to amaze me how unbending the Japanese were on never changing their battle plans. Even when they were clearly losing, they followed a plan that would lead them to annihilation. The inflated numbers they were sending to Japan only led to more plans that were doomed to failure. The many Japanese that were slaughtered, simply because "dying for the emperor" was better than being captured. Very few Japanese surrendered, with many committing suicide, instead of becoming a prisoner of war.
The many difficulties, and the hardships that overwhelmed that Marines, and their ability to overcome it was a miracle. They could have stopped, said it was not worth it, but instead, they embraced the horrors of Guadalcanal, to stop the Japanese from moving forward, working to ensure that we would secure victory in the pacific.
I really enjoyed this read, and appreciated the detail the author put into the retelling of these battles, and the fight to stop the Japanese within the Pacific theater. The attention to detail, the tactical and strategic reviews were superb. Joseph Wheelan has a great grasp on military history, and the importance of not forgetting our past.
Naval bombardments, air raids, midnight attacks, and so much more, led to days that were never ending.
It never ceases to amaze me how unbending the Japanese were on never changing their battle plans. Even when they were clearly losing, they followed a plan that would lead them to annihilation. The inflated numbers they were sending to Japan only led to more plans that were doomed to failure. The many Japanese that were slaughtered, simply because "dying for the emperor" was better than being captured. Very few Japanese surrendered, with many committing suicide, instead of becoming a prisoner of war.
The many difficulties, and the hardships that overwhelmed that Marines, and their ability to overcome it was a miracle. They could have stopped, said it was not worth it, but instead, they embraced the horrors of Guadalcanal, to stop the Japanese from moving forward, working to ensure that we would secure victory in the pacific.
I really enjoyed this read, and appreciated the detail the author put into the retelling of these battles, and the fight to stop the Japanese within the Pacific theater. The attention to detail, the tactical and strategic reviews were superb. Joseph Wheelan has a great grasp on military history, and the importance of not forgetting our past.
October 3, 2017
This is an excellent single volume history of the battle for Guadalcanal. It covers the ground, air, and naval battles from the beginning of Japanese construction of the airfield that would later be called Henderson Field to the evacuation of Japanese troops. The narrative is naturally focused more on the American side as there are very few sources available for the Japanese viewpoint.
The battle for Guadalcanal was the Pacific war in microcosm. It was the last time Japanese forces were on the offensive, and it foreshadowed some of the Japanese defensive strategies used later. In the beginning, the Japanese had numerical superiority and control of the seas and skies. The US was able to turn the tide, gaining the edge in all facets of combat.
We're getting to the point where very little original research can be done, as the participants are vanishing. The author makes good use of the many memoirs and accounts of the battle that have been published in recent years.
Includes maps, notes, index and bibliography.
The battle for Guadalcanal was the Pacific war in microcosm. It was the last time Japanese forces were on the offensive, and it foreshadowed some of the Japanese defensive strategies used later. In the beginning, the Japanese had numerical superiority and control of the seas and skies. The US was able to turn the tide, gaining the edge in all facets of combat.
We're getting to the point where very little original research can be done, as the participants are vanishing. The author makes good use of the many memoirs and accounts of the battle that have been published in recent years.
Includes maps, notes, index and bibliography.
February 1, 2018
Joseph Wheelan tries to do a job of educating a new generation about the Battle of Guadalcanal but comes up short. i think the worst failing of this is to provide too much data and not a smooth transference from one story to the next. Just as we seem to be rising to an epic history of what happened on such and such a date we're transferred over to another event. For example he uses the chronological format in such a way as to dilute the story. The Battle of Savo island is, unto itself, an amazing story but it's given the few small pages to fit the date rather than the full exposure it would seem to need. The battle is portrayed across daily events rather than in a broad, sweeping struggle which it was. The navel aspect of the war is confusing and the quick jump to successful runs down the slot to starving Japanese soldiers and their evacuation is very abrupt.
If you're new to this history I'd suggest Guadalcanal Diary which is still the gold standard. Otherwise this is a good book for those who don't know the story.
If you're new to this history I'd suggest Guadalcanal Diary which is still the gold standard. Otherwise this is a good book for those who don't know the story.
March 7, 2020
This book might be considered the go to study of one of the pivotal battles of World War 2.
From a general readers perspective, the book is an easy read. The author presents the events clearly and well. The text also makes frequent use of personal accounts and quotes which keeps the narrative from become overly dry or academic. The author avoids the detail and depth of a Glantz study, but then also avoids the clinical stiffness.
As an amateur historian, I also found the book interesting. Prior to reading the book I had not fully appreciated how much of a risk the Americans were running, nor how unprepared for the campaign both sides were. The fact that there were more naval casualties than infantry on the American side was also surprising to me, and a testament to the knife fighting character of combat in the close waters of The Slot.
If you're completely unaware of the history of combat in the Pacific theater in World War 2, this is a great book. If you're American, it might be elevated to the status of required reading.
September 7, 2021
Superb book detailing the battle of Guadalcanal. Mostly focused on the land battles, but does offer some tidbits on what happened in the naval and air battles. I have seen a few reviewers comment that there are better books out there on the naval component in particular. The one detraction (the reason I gave 4 stars, not 5) is that there aren't maps showing any details of the various battles so at times it is hard to picture exactly where things were happening. I can google it easily enough but the book really should provide some maps. There are no photos, which just seems odd for a military history book. Even so, this is a pretty gripping account and amazing that the U.S. was able to win it considering how it started. You can really feel how it must have been for those Marines and pilots who were there when the Japanese still had control of the waters around the island. I had never heard of the Cactus Air Force, what amazing heroics from those pilots and their crews. And the Marines & Seabees that made sure they still had a place to land!
October 21, 2017
My father served in the United States Marine Corps during World War 2 and fought in the first offensive battle by the US during the war, the battle for the island of Guadalcanal. He was seriously wounded there and evacuated back to the states where he spent a year in a naval hospital. As a result, I have read many of the books about this battle. This book was particularly interesting because the author described the battle from the perspective of both the allied forces and the Japanese, drawing from historical records and other books. It was a very thorough accounting and demonstrated what a monstrous battle this was. I only wish my father were still alive so that I could have discussed it with him. His experience at Guadalcanal was not something he would often talk about, but considering savagery of what he saw and endured, I understand. If you are interested in Guadalcanal, I recommend this book.
October 30, 2017
This is a well researched and well presented account of the historic battles fought on the island of Guadalcanal in late 1942. This battle was extremely important as it turned the tide of the Japanese conquest of the Pacific and put them on the defensive for the next three years. Along with Stalingrad and El Alamein, these significant turning points occurring as they did within weeks of each other, begat the ultimate victories of the Allied forces.
Wheelan does an excellent job of presenting the incredible amount of chaos that occurs when troops that are not accustomed to combat square off against those who are. The learning curve is steep and costly and the thing that counts the most is strong leadership and strong willed soldiers. Such were the US Marines and the Naval aviators of the legendary "Cactus Airforce." Prior knowledge of the basics of this campaign would be very helpful to the reader.
Wheelan does an excellent job of presenting the incredible amount of chaos that occurs when troops that are not accustomed to combat square off against those who are. The learning curve is steep and costly and the thing that counts the most is strong leadership and strong willed soldiers. Such were the US Marines and the Naval aviators of the legendary "Cactus Airforce." Prior knowledge of the basics of this campaign would be very helpful to the reader.
December 17, 2025
"Midnight in the Pacific: Guadalcanal - The World War II Battle That Turned the Tide of War" by Joseph Wheelan is a very good overview of the entire Guadalcanal Campaign. The book includes a description of every major (and some minor) land, sea and air battles and engagements from the initial landings on August 7, 1942, through to the final Japanese withdrawal on the night of February 7-8, 1943. Mr. Wheelan details the tactical and strategic plans, and eventual outcomes of the Japanese and United States' Army, Navy, Marines and their respective Air Groups.
I can highly recommend this book if you are interested in the entire Guadalcanal Campaign. The book is a very good starting point to lead to other sources with more specific details of actions and battles.
I plan to read, or have read other books about specific operations of the Guadalcanal Campaign. Including books about the "Cactus Airforce" and the naval battles of the Eastern Solomons, Santa Cruz and Guadalcanal.
I can highly recommend this book if you are interested in the entire Guadalcanal Campaign. The book is a very good starting point to lead to other sources with more specific details of actions and battles.
I plan to read, or have read other books about specific operations of the Guadalcanal Campaign. Including books about the "Cactus Airforce" and the naval battles of the Eastern Solomons, Santa Cruz and Guadalcanal.
June 7, 2018
Very complete with information newly released. I learned a lot about some of the main men involved. Some were not as great as was earlier believed. Some were the unsung hero's of that campaign. Much more was written about the intolerable conditions the Marines and the Japanese had to live and fight in. A lot more was revealed about the Japanese soldiers that were also on island. They suffered more than the Marines, because the Marines were better prepared with supplies than the Japanese. It showed that the Japanese missed a lot of opportunities to recapture the island that they did not take advantage of. The author pointed out that the Japanese dribbled small reinforcements in all services, Army, Navy and Air Force, and as these dribbles were chewed up by the Marines, they would send in another dribble.
October 29, 2017
Books about battles can be dry. These guys moved here, and those guys set up over there, etc. But this one brought Guadalcanal alive. The story was told from the point of view of the Japanese on the ground, the high command, the American Marines, the special forces, the pilots who saved the day, the Navy who let the land/air troops down. I have a special interest; my father was in the First Marines and hit the beach with them at Guadalcanal, New Britain and Pelelieu before the Marines finally agreed that he had done enough. How did they endure? Where did they all find the strength? Every rank from private to General was thoroughly depleted when they were at last relieved. Very good book.
February 28, 2018
Rather dry history of the battle at Guadalcanal. I think the book would have been more interesting with an introduction on how the war had progressed to the point of the battle, but the author is satisfied with just a few asides on the developing history. The author puts the typical emphasis on the generals with just a little insight into the ground troops-- though gives credit to some terrific commanders, like "Chesty" Puller, who commanded at the front, in the front. A real contrast to action in Viet Nam, where it seems most commanders were content to manager from safety and collect their medals. The book does emphasize the brutality of combat with the Japanese, a point well shown by the PBS series "The Pacific." Overall, I finished this book but was disappointed with it.
December 4, 2017
I think the first book I read on the battle for Guadalcanal was Richard Tregaskis' "Guadalcanal Diary," in high school in the 1960's. I've read more about it over the years, so I was pleasantly surprised when the author recounted a well known story in a fresh, entertaining and informative style. His descriptions, aided by some good maps, gives a good understanding of the topography of the battle, something military histories often fail at. His narrative contains enough detail to give picture of what happened without so much that it gets bogged down. I recommend it for anyone interested in one of the pivotal battles of the Pacific War.
December 21, 2017
My father landed on Guadalcanal with the US Army Americal Division's 21'st Evacuation Hospital on October 3, 1943. There were so many days when the fate of all the Americans on the island hung by a thread. I found I couldn't put the book down. Literally, my life seemed to hang the balance. If the Japanese had prevailed on Guadalcanal, I most likely wouldn't exist.
This is a sweeping narrative and compelling drama of this WWII turning point. It was the first land defeat for the Japanese in a thousand years. Nearly thirty-thousand Japanese and almost seven-thousand Americans lost their lives in this epic struggle.
This is a sweeping narrative and compelling drama of this WWII turning point. It was the first land defeat for the Japanese in a thousand years. Nearly thirty-thousand Japanese and almost seven-thousand Americans lost their lives in this epic struggle.
January 26, 2022
Good solid story telling of Guadalcanal, this must be my 8-9 th book on the subject. This was such an important battle, on land and sea. By no means did American have it easy or their own way. Carrier forces on both sides were depleted. Night actions with the Japanese were very costly for American ships and sailors, the sea battles matched the land battles in blood and losses. American navy would eventually even the score, the Catus Airforce on Henderson Field were a dominate feature, but many times a force that was barely hanging on. Attrition of aircraft, fueling and pilots was high on both sides.
The author does a good job of describing on forms of combat, I would highly recommend this book.
The author does a good job of describing on forms of combat, I would highly recommend this book.
Read
July 29, 2025This was an incredible book. While the content was horrific, the book was thoroughly researched and written in a very factual, unbiased way. That takes effort and careful wording. Adding to it, Mr. Stillwell did a steller performance. Certainly brought home the luxuries I have taken for granted. While I certainly feel peace should be the first approach, I appreciate the willingness to take a stand on principles, even if I may feel differently on a subject. Thank you for delivering this to us, and, thank all those who have served and are currently serving today. I will be reading or listening to more of this author.
October 20, 2017
Midnight... Relates the Epic but Almost Forgotten Battle of Guadalcanal
The battle for Guadalcanal & the surrounding sea was arguably the most important battle of WW2 in the Pacific,for if lost then there never would have been bloody invasions of other Japanese controlled islands. Midnight covers all the different encounters both on land and sea. Almost every important individual on both sides is mentioned by name & deed. Well worth reading, especially readable for those interested in that time & place.
The battle for Guadalcanal & the surrounding sea was arguably the most important battle of WW2 in the Pacific,for if lost then there never would have been bloody invasions of other Japanese controlled islands. Midnight covers all the different encounters both on land and sea. Almost every important individual on both sides is mentioned by name & deed. Well worth reading, especially readable for those interested in that time & place.
March 30, 2019
This book described every battle that occurred on, in the waters nearby and in the skies over Guadalcanal. It read like a mystery thriller that you couldn’t put down. Although ultimately a success, the offensive was marred by blunders, severely affected by terrain / disease /and poor tactics. The US learned a lot of fighting lessons here that would improve its performance in the rest of the Pacific theater battles. It also correctly noted the skill and caliber of Japan’s forces. An excellent military history.
September 22, 2021
Good writing. Horrific subject. After researching uncles who were marines who served in the Pacific during World War II, I wanted to get a better sense of the battles in the Solomon Islands. It was sometimes difficult to follow the geography and locations of battles, so the maps were helpful. The loss of life and suffering were staggering on both sides. It was disturbing/interesting to see what a "fight to the death or shame" culture on one side does to increase the inhumanity and loss of life in such extreme circumstances. Enlightening and sobering history.
October 9, 2017
A well told story about the land, sea and air battles at Guadalcanal, a stunning reversal of fortune for the Japanese empire in the Pacific War. The conditions endured by American and Japanese ground troops is appalling. The willingness of both side to commit and sacrifice ships is also difficult to understand. Both sides committed vast resources to the fight with the Japanese suffering irreplaceable losses especially to their air forces.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews