In 1942; the massive Japanese naval base and airfield at Rabaul was a fortress standing in the Allies' path to Tokyo. It was impossible to seize Rabaul; or starve the 100;000-strong garrison out. Instead the US began an innovative; hard-fought two-year air campaign to draw its teeth; and allow them to bypass the island completely. The struggle decided more than the fate of Rabaul. If successful; the Allies would demonstrate a new form of warfare; where air power; with a judicious use of naval and land forces; would eliminate the need to occupy a ground objective in order to control it. As it turned out; the Siege of Rabaul proved to be more just than a successful demonstration of air power--it provided the roadmap for the rest of World War II in the Pacific.
#1117175 in Books Osprey Publishing 2015-02-17 2015-02-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .39 x .1 x 7.26l; .45 #File Name: 147280558596 pages9781472805584
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Highly recommended!By Karl PopleA terrific review of VF-2; at one time known as "The Flying Chiefs"! The author encompasses the entire history of the unit beginning in 1921 and ending with VJ Day in 1945. The color profiles (27 of them) are up to Osprey's usual superb standards. They begin with the biplane era of the unit in 1921 and roll right up thru the Hellcat in 1945. The combat narratives and interviews are enough to make you feel part of the action. Enough fresh information to make this one you'll want to re-read several times! If you're into WW2 Naval Aviation; this one's for you.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy V. Wynnwhere did they find all that information0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Another winner from a remarkable author.By Old HabuFor my money; Tom Cleaver is the top aviation history scribe of our time. His painstaking research and interviews with the few of the pilots from the Greatest Generation still with us puts this and his other works in a class by themselves. His narrative of the men and machine lives. Highest recommendation!
