Victory Fever on Guadalcanal: Japan's First Land Defeat of World War II

Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series #147

by William H. Bartsch, Bill Nevitt (Narrator)

Following their rampage through Southeast Asia and the Pacific in the five months after Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces moved into the Solomon Islands, intending to cut off the critical American supply line to Australia. But when they began to construct an airfield on Guadalcanal in July 1942, the Americans captured the almost completed airfield for their own strategic use.

The Japanese Army countered by sending to Guadalcanal a reinforced battalion under the command of Col. Kiyonao Ichiki. The attack that followed would prove to be the first of four attempts by the Japanese over six months to retake the airfield, resulting in some of the most vicious fighting of the Pacific War.

During the initial battle on the night of August 20–21, 1942, Marines wiped out Ichiki’s men, who—imbued with “victory fever”—had expected a quick and easy victory.
William H. Bartsch draws on correspondence, interviews, diaries, memoirs, and official war records, including those translated from Japanese sources, to offer an intensely human narrative of the failed attempt to recapture Guadalcanal’s vital airfield.

Genres: Military Fiction, World War II

Audiobook

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

William H. Bartsch, a former United Nations development economist and independent consultant, now works exclusively researching and writing on the Pacific War. He is the author of three books published by Texas A&M University Press: "Doomed at the Start: American Pursuit Pilots in the Philippines, 1941-1942," "December 8, 1941: MacArthur's Pearl Harbor," and "Everyday a Nightmare: American Pursuit Pilots in the Defense of Java, 1941-1942."

Reviews

[Marshall Snyder]

In this book, author William Battsch does a deep dive into the Battle of the Tenaru. The battle, the first land battle in the Guadalcanal campaign, was important because it showed the new and inexperienced 1st Marine Division that it could go toe-to-toe with the Japanese Army. Before this battle, the Allies had not won against the Japanese Army; after this battle they never lost. Of real interest to me as a Marine historian, is the first part of the book which discusses early days of the Division at Camp Lejeune. Prior to the Division’s activation in February 1941, the Marine Corps had never fielded a division sized organization. It was formed from a small core of senior officers and was experienced NCOs and then filled out with thousands of young Marines just out of boot camp and OCS.

[Lea Wiggins]

Victory Fever on Guadalcanal:Japan's First Land Defeat of World War II
Author: William H. Bartsch
Narrator: Bill Nevitt
Listening Time: 9 Hrs. 3 Mins.

I always like to preface any reviews I give with this information.
I am a 68 year old female who has been an avid reader since I was around 10 or 11 years old.
I read primarily for pleasure.
I have a great many interests and do a lot of research for personal pleasure and knowledge as well.
Ancient History, Archeology, Science, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery are some of the interests I have.


Disclaimer: "This Audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost, in exchange for an unbiased honest review."

Having had uncles that served in various military services during WW II, I grew up hearing a little about different things about World War II, and have always had an interest in this particular war; probably because it seemed more personal to me.


I had an uncle who served in the Merchant Marines during world War II and survived to live to be 87 years old.

This audiobook was different than most I listen to. I usually listen for pleasure but occasionally I like to learn about historical events by audiobook, rather than reading since hearing the audiobook makes it more realistic for me.

This audiobook I had to listen to in parts as there was so much information to try to digest and to visualize.
Also since Geography was never my strong suite, I had to get a visual sense of what was going on as well.


These men did a great service and yet at times I was appalled at the lack of discipline some of these young men showed during this battle. Of course, having said that, they were "young men".

The logistics truly were at times, nightmarish. The conditions were brutal and health problems were terrible as well.

The one thing I can say is that the author had to do a phenomenal amount of research to bring this incredible piece of history to life the way he did. I was particularly interested in hearing the battle plans, and the steps the Japanese military took as well as those of our military.

There were certainly gruesome parts that were hard to listen to, but I expected that with this kind of an audiobook and history of battle.

Author William H. Bartsch is an author whose work I had never read/listened to before but I would again; as his attention to detail, his commitment to research, and the time it took to cover this amazing battle and make it something that was very real, and interesting was no easy task.

I don't know that many women are interested in World War II history so I can't say for certain but for me, as hard as it was to listen to some of this, it was also enlightening. As civilians, I don't think we have any idea of the kind of courage and bravery that fighting in a war involves! I have the utmost respect for any person who serves in the military.

Narrator Bill Nevitt is someone whose work I have listened to and this also was a bit of a different listening experience for me. Usually there is less history in the narrations I have heard previous to this, and mainly voice acting, rather than listening to the history he was giving us AND the different voices he acted. I was truly impressed with his grasp of the names of the Japanese Military commanders and the different accents of the people he represented in this audiobook.
His narrating is always exceptional and I did enjoy this as a listening experience as well as specific history I had not known.

To give an age group who might enjoy this book/audiobook, I would think that anyone with an interest or love of history and especially history of World War II would find this audiobook well worth their time.

[Mike Kershaw]

Interesting retelling of the first major ground action between 1st Marine Division and the Japanese Army during the Guadalcanal campaign. While the account of the Marines actions are well known and recounted elsewhere, Bartsch literally gives us position-by-position detail of the emplacement of crew served weapons, individual casualties, etc....at the platoon, company and battalion level. The real insight, however, is to be gained by his recounting of the Japanese side of the action which involved elements of the 28th Infantry Regiment, known to history as "The Ichiki Detachment" after their Commander, who was killed in action. Bartsch recovery of accounts of Japanese survivors and tapping into Japanese military history makes what is an interesting account into a much more insightful book (as does Peter Williams, The Myth of the Kokoda) since most allied accounts of World War II in the Pacific are usually bereft of Japanese sources (often because there were few survivors). That Bartsch has done this is even made more compelling by the circumstances of the almost complete annihilation of Ichiki's unit. Because Bartsch focuses at the small unit/ individual level, there is a lack of perspective, particularly with other employments both the Japanese and Marines were conducting simultaneously (the loss of the Goettege patrol, for example) as well as the landing of the Japanese Special Naval Landing Force to the west. This perspective can be found elsewhere (I kept a copy of Richard B. Frank's Guadalcanal handy). However, given the level of detail he chose, better maps would have been useful, particularly of the engagement area. Overall, an enjoyable book.

[Bob Grove]

I have read many accounts of the Battle of the Tenaru River on Guadalcanal. William Bartsch's book is the best study of the action by far. In this study, William Bartsch spent considerable effort researching and writing about the first of the land engagements, the improperly named Battle of the Tenaru, which was fought along Alligator Creek, an estuary of the Ilu River. I've encountered numerous accounts of the Battle of the Tenaru River on Guadalcanal, but William Bartsch's book stands out as the most comprehensive study of the action. Bartsch's meticulous research and detailed narrative of the Battle of the Tenaru, fought along Alligator Creek, offer a vivid portrayal of the intense combat from both the American and Japanese perspectives. The book provides an immersive experience, allowing readers to feel the battle's tension and chaos.

What sets Bartsch's book apart is the level of detail he provides about individual soldiers, offering a unique and personal insight into the events that unfolded over 70 years ago. The scholarship and writing style of the book is exceptional, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the Pacific War and the Guadalcanal campaign. Bartsch's work sets a high standard for future books on WWII battles, encouraging the inclusion of detailed accounts from individual participants. On the night of 20-21 August.

[Robert]

Overall I thought this was pretty good. It took a bit for the story to draw me, but WWII and Guadalcanal, you know it will be interesting. If WWII in the Pacific interests you, check this out. I listened to the Audiobook version of this book and the narration was good as well.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Roger]

My first read/listen from author William H. Bartsch was not my typical read. A non-fiction work detailing Japan’s first land defeat of World War II. Highly detailed & well-written, this book may not be for everyone but I found it enjoyable. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Reader]

Superb book — with tremendous detail from personal source data from the participants. Many of us have read various books on the Guadalcanal campaign, but none provide the intimate detail of this book. I highly recommend this as a beneficial read to further your understanding of this struggle.

[Audiobook Accomplice (Gillian)]

Good but has large stretches of the dry, the drudge
My Full Review

[Kevin]

A very details chronological run thru of the ground action. A little terse but well done. Not quiet in the Hornfischer league but excellent details from BOTH sides.

[Norma]

( Format : Audiobook )
"Crying, paying and cursing all at the same time."

[Frederick]

This is a riveting account of Guadalcanal. I recommend it for all students of WW2.

[Edgar Raines]

This is a very well researched and well written account that attempts to tell the story of the first defeat on land the Japanese suffered during World War II. The battle of the Tenaru River (misidentified as such on U.S. Marine Corps maps; it was actually Alligator Creek) pitted the Japanese Imperial Army's Ichiki Detachment, a reinforced infantry battalion, against the 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, reinforced by a battery of 37-mm antitank guns and division artillery. The result was a crushing defeat for the Japanese from which there were very few survivors.

Commendably, the author, William H. Bartsch, has gone to great lengths to tell both the Japanese and American side of this encounter, but because of what happened to the Ichiki Detachment Japanese sources are sparse. Bartsch has ferreted out a tremendous number of American sources. Clearly this book has been a labor of love. He follows the members of the 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, from their decisions to enlist, after Pearl Harbor, through boot camp and then their truncated unit training, movement to the Pacific, and commitment to combat.

I have two criticisms. First---and this is something that holds true for most military histories not just this book---the book lacks a sufficient number of detailed maps to help the reader visualize what is happening. Second, the author often tells us what individual Japanese were thinking about during the course of the action, at times without sufficient sources to back up his text. This technique helps personalize the Japanese experience and is to be commended when based on contemporary records or the recollections of survivors. It is more problematic when the author recounts the thoughts of Japanese who did not survive the action. For example, on page 151 he describes the attack of the 3d Platoon, 1st Company, across the sand spit at the mouth of Alligator Creek: "As Uchizawa [the platoon commander] led his men in the charge over the sand bar, he realized that many of his men were falling, hit by incoming fire. Then Uchizawa himself was struck several times and dropped down, mortally wounded." If Uchizawa was ahead of his men, he may not have known how many of his men had been hit before he himself was killed. Moreover, given the circumstances, the volume of incoming American fire and the need to set an example for his men, Uchizawa may have focused with tunnel-like intensity on reaching the far shore. He was mortally wounded so we cannot say for certain and not deduce from his circumstances what he was thinking, what he was or was not aware of, or what he intended to do. The source Bartsch's paragraph treating the 3d Platoon's attack was Susumu Sugawara's privately published book _Ichiki Shitai zenmetsu_ ( _The Annihilation of the Ichiki Detachment_) (1979) that Bartsch had translated as part of his research. It is possible that Bartsch simply borrowed this description from Sugawara, but that raises the question of what evidence he had on this point. Sugawara, himself a World War II veteran, based his account on interviews with survivors, so it is possible that he had more evidence than is apparent in Bartsch's treatment. After reading this particular passage, I went back in the text and examined the sourcing for eight other accounts giving the Japanese perspective. In each case, the information about what someone said or did reflected the experiences of a survivor, either his own actions or thoughts or his witness of the actions or speech of others. Overall, I do not consider Bartsch's handling of the Japanese witnesses a major problem but illustrative of the kind of pitfalls that even good historians can occasionally fall when seeking to provide a gripping narrative of events---which Bartsch certainly provides.

That said, I recommend this book highly to readers interested in the histories of the U.S. Marine Corps, the Imperial Japanese Army, World War II in the Pacific, and the Guadalcanal campaign. This book will probably stand as the definitive account of the Battle of the Tenaru River for the current generation and possibly beyond.

[John]

In the Pacific Theater of World War II the Battle for Guadalcanal represented the first time that the Allies had stopped the Japanese on land. This battle was a series of firsts. This was the first time that territory had been seized, occupied and held from the Japanese Army to date in the war. The destruction of the Ichiki Detachment can be seen as the turning point in this campaign. Never again would the Japanese be in such a strong position to defeat the Americans and from that battle the American’s would continue to grow and strengthen their positions on the Island. There certainly would be more battles ahead, more suffering and sacrifices but for the first time the Japanese had been soundly defeated and they never would regain the offensive in the Pacific.
William Bartsch has written an excellent account of this battle and incorporated perspective from the Japanese side of the battle. While his writing style and extensive detail has been the hallmark of his other works (and are not lost in this book) the real gem in this account is the inclusion of the Japanese perspective and the extensive use of unpublished accounts to bring the complexity to life. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII in the Pacific.

[Michael Nachman]

This is a very meticulous, detailed account of the Battle of Tenaru, August 1942. While Mr. Bartsch is a very good writer, and is attempting to provide a first-hand personal account of the battle, drawn from dairies, interviews, etc., the book is filled with the minutiae of a military operation. Those not familiar with that terminology, or looking for more of a narrative approach to the battle, may find themselves bogged down a bit. However, for serious students of the PTO in WWII, USMC history, or the opening operations in the Pacific, this book is brilliant. I liken this book to "Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway", which I consider the definitive analysis of that battle. I believe this is the best book written on the operations of the USMC during the first month of the battle for Guadalcanal.

[Shrike58]

In this close analysis of the Battle of the "Tenaru" River (actually the Ilu), Bartsch starts by examining how the 1st Marine Division and the Ichiki Detachment each came to be, before their fateful encounter, and then following the course of the battle in as granular a fashion as possible; much more being known about the Japanese side of the equation then you might imagine. The key question for Bartsch is just how Col. Kiyonao Ichiki could have handled his unit so poorly. What it comes down to Bartsch is that Ichiki was possibly concerned about conducting the battle before his very limited supply situation eroded, but mostly so held the U.S. Marines in such contempt that he felt there was no reason not to challenge them, though it meant charging into the teeth of superior firepower.

Originally written: April 23, 2017.

[Jan]

Eight months after the declaration of war on Japan by the United States, USMC green recruits, capable NCOs, and few officers were able to best determined Japanese forces on Guadalcanal in the Battle of Tenaru. This book is a detailed account of the events leading up to the battle and accounts obtained from records from each side and from survivors who were still alive at the time of research. The in depth meticulous research done by the author is clearly in evidence, and the value of the body of work to active duty military is clearly apparent.
Will I get in trouble if I mention its value to history buffs and RPG players?
I had to get an audio copy because my print copy was liberated by USMC grandson.
Bill Nevitt continues to be excellent as narrator for study subjects.

[Toula]

Audio book review
This is a historical real life event audio. This took place during World War Two. The Japanese brought the Americans into World a World Two . This shows what happened when the Americans landed on a place way before the Japanese expected them . The Americans took the Japanese by surprise and it showed in the results after the battle .

Bill the narrator was phenomenal . He brought the story to life. He made this audio sound like you were at the place . His voice is strong and clear . You get pulled into the story