First published 2011
The Battle of Guadalcanal is remembered as a Marine triumph, but James D. Hornfischer reveals the Navy's crucial role in this Pacific theater victory. He chronicles seven major naval engagements that unfolded in the treacherous waters of Ironbottom Sound beginning in August 1942. At this point in World War II, America's resources were stretched thin and victory remained uncertain. Hornfischer draws on fresh survivor interviews, previously unpublished firsthand accounts, and newly accessible documents to reconstruct these deadly encounters. His narrative focuses on the officers and sailors who manned destroyers, cruisers, and battleships against Japanese forces during America's darkest hour. The first comprehensive examination of these naval actions in nearly twenty years, this work illuminates the human experiences behind strategic decisions that changed history's trajectory and transformed countless lives.
Genres: 20th-century, world-war-ii, non-fiction, military-history, naval-history, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction
Setting: Guadalcanal, Ironbottom Sound
Period: 1942
516 pages · Hardcover · Bantam