Dee Miller’s Reviews > The Conquering Tide: War in the Pacific Islands, 1942–1944 > Status Update

Ch 9 What was happening in San Francisco since Dec. 17-- a great expansion in shipbuilding. A look at the building of submarines, the improvement in submariners, and torpedoes. A look in particular following building of The Wahoo, her captain, and cruises.

Ch 8 Evacution of beleaguered Marines from Guadalcanal Their welcome in Australia. 1943 Wise decision to bypass well fortified islands held by Japanese. In May, Allies retake small Aleutian islands as a symbolic defeat. I never understood the vast territories held by the Japanese in the South Pacific. The Japanese had overextended themselves and were losing due inability to reinforce and resupply.

Ch 7 Analysis by Japanese of failures at Guadalcanal
Removal of Marines from the island. Improvements to the base. A realistic look at life by troops on the Solomon Islands. What was Admiral Halsey really like? A fighting man, self-deprecating, a great sense of humor, tender-hearted, loved by those he commanded. What was Admiral Tamamoto like? His attitude toward the war. His death.

Ch 7 Japanese high command at end of 1942 decides that capture of Guadalcanal must be forgone. After being unavailable to resupply its army on the island, three night evacutions removed fewer than 11,000 severely malnutrioned, diseased Japanese troops from the island, leaving behind 16,800 dead or dying. 36,000 Japanese troops total had been landed. On Feb 9, 1943, the new US commander on GC notified Nimitz of *win*

Ch 6 The US damaged 2 Japanese carriers, but the Japanese do serious damage to the Enterprise and cripple the Hornet, requiring it to be towed, then it was bombed again, then finally torpedoed and sunk. Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. Mutual retreat. Airplanes lost about equal, but US recovered twice as many seasoned pilots as Japanese.

Ch 6 The Marines on the island hold their own, encouraged by the news that Admiral Halsey was now in charge. The Americans have only the Enterprise and the wounded Hornet in their battle fleet. Japanese have twice the number of ships as US and a plan to throw all they have-army, navy, air against Guadalcanal on Oct 23,24, 1942. A battle between the guns on the ships and the guns of the planes!

The Marines would remember it simply as THE NIGHT, October 13/14. The gigantic shells from two Japanese battleships pound Guadalcanal-unlike anything the Marines had ever experienced. The Battle for Guadalcanal begins.

The Marines would remember it simply as THE NIGHT, October 13/14. The gigantic shells from two Japanese battleships pound Guadalcanal-unlike anything the Marines had ever experienced.

Ch5 Description of Admiral Chester Nimitz, a great leader, fearless, no nonsense but personal decides Guadalcanal must be the island to defend. Admiral Turner personally observes the beleaguered Marines and finally agrees to send in another division of Marines. Meanwhile, the Tokyo Express continues to reenforce Japanese forces with men and supplies. The constant grind to keep Henderson Field functional.

Ch 5 What is happening in Tokyo? Who is Yamoto? The effects of the war on the Japanese people. The effects th draft. Critical shortages felt not only by the people but also by the dept of war, especially oil. US subs are targeting oil tankers in the China Sea successfully. Great pressure from the top to take Guadalcanal quickly. How? By invasion, naval, or air attack? Great chapter!