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Guadalcanal
Fine in Very Good jacket, 6 1/2 By 9 1/2`` 1st Edition. Only very slight signs of age, DJ has one small torn spot at top back edge & is price clipped. Battle Plans, landings, counterattack, lost opportunity, slugging match, sweating it out, bloody ridge, sinking the Wasp, X & Y days, etc.
322 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1983
About the author
Edwin P. Hoyt
239 books31 followersEdwin P. Hoyt was a prolific American writer who specialized in military history. He was born in Portland, Oregon to the publisher Edwin Palmer Hoyt (1897–1979) and his wife, the former Cecile DeVore (1901–1970). A younger brother, Charles Richard, was born in 1928. Hoyt attended the University of Oregon from 1940 to 1943.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 28, 2007
Second time reading, it's been a long time since the first. A concise account of the land, air and naval battles in and around Guadalcanal. Hoyt really brings out the precarious hold the US forces had for a long time. He provides some decent maps and sketches of the islands, the wider area and key points of interest. He also relates the Japanese side, mainly the strategy developed by Yamamoto and executed by the lower echelons. He provides a very good summary of the naval battles and the tactics/experience of both sides. Excellent book for an overview. A strong recommendation Three Stars I have this one for a more in-depth account: Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle
April 16, 2023
This title covers the battle on, above, and around Guadalcanal. Reading the Dutch version, printed in 1984, I was amazed by the changes that have taken place in my language. Many words used in the book are no longer, or hardly, used today. A fun fact in my opinion.
I was a bit underwhelmed by the coverage of the fighting on the island itself. Yes, it is covered, but the parts about the many sea and air battles are more prominent. And I must say that they are very good and vivid. It becomes painfully obvious how much the Allies still had to learn about combat at sea and that training needed to be improved in order to seriously oppose the Japanese enemy. The Japanese on the other hand, saw their experience base decline due to the losses of many well trained and experienced air crews. They still had the edge at sea, but the material might of the US was coming up to steam and was influencing the battle more and more.
The role of the Cactus Air Force, located on Gaudalcanal, was becoming more important by the day. They were able to gain experience and match the Japanese in the air. The role of the Japanese destroyers in this battle is made quite clear. Without these ships the Japanese would have been unable to supply their troops on the ground, and in the end, evacuate a large number of troops off the island. This without the Americans really noticing what was going on, until too late.
Overall I found this a solid read, despite the fact that the land battle is only a small part of the book.
I was a bit underwhelmed by the coverage of the fighting on the island itself. Yes, it is covered, but the parts about the many sea and air battles are more prominent. And I must say that they are very good and vivid. It becomes painfully obvious how much the Allies still had to learn about combat at sea and that training needed to be improved in order to seriously oppose the Japanese enemy. The Japanese on the other hand, saw their experience base decline due to the losses of many well trained and experienced air crews. They still had the edge at sea, but the material might of the US was coming up to steam and was influencing the battle more and more.
The role of the Cactus Air Force, located on Gaudalcanal, was becoming more important by the day. They were able to gain experience and match the Japanese in the air. The role of the Japanese destroyers in this battle is made quite clear. Without these ships the Japanese would have been unable to supply their troops on the ground, and in the end, evacuate a large number of troops off the island. This without the Americans really noticing what was going on, until too late.
Overall I found this a solid read, despite the fact that the land battle is only a small part of the book.
July 13, 2011
A historical discourse on the Battle for Guadacanal. The Marines and soldiers were left standed on the beach without supplies or support when the American navy was forced to withdraw due to a threat from the Japanese navy. The first major battle following Pearl Harbor.
February 6, 2009
This is the best military history that I've read so far. It was exciting and informative.
October 9, 2009
An excellent look at the land/air/sea campaign in which America won its spus and learned to fight the Imperial Japanese Navy, Air Force, and Army.
December 28, 2013
Very good. Lot of books on the battle.
March 10, 2016
It's a good book, isn't boring like a lot of history books are.
May 14, 2023
I haven't read this in decades, we were gaming a Guadalcanal campaign, it had the info we needed. Hoyt did crank out the books! I've read others.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews