DOC US Marine vs Japanese Infantryman: Guadalcanal 1942–43 (Combat) by Gordon L. Rottman in History

Review

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Guadacanal Weapons MenBy matt8386Another in the fine tradition of Osprey books; not to be confused with Guadalcanal 1942: The Marines Strike Back (Campaign); author Rottman focuses here mostly on the weapons and tactics; less on the terrain.The intro covers the background of the battle (six pages); then a review of the roles; organization; tactics; firepower and logistics for each side (19 pages) descriptions of the battles of Tenaru; Henderson Field and the Matanikau counteroffensive(27 pages) a short analysis of the battle and aftermath wraps it all up.I particularly like the full color plates showing what typical US Marines and Imperial Japanese Army troops wore as well as the maps showing the chronological events of the battle. The bibliography is short; but does reference the excellent book Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle. by Richard Franks. If you wish a personal narrative to bring home the horrors endured by the Marines on this island; Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific:In conclusion; this is a good primer of the battle which emphasizes weapons; but not to the exclusion of the battles; I just would have liked to see a tad more about the training of the soldiers; comparisons and contrasts in the vein of the Duel series.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Marines; Japanese Army; Guadalcanal; Pacific War; jungle fighting; Solomon IslandsBy Gary E. BinderThe campaign for Guadalcanal was really the pivotal battle in the Pacific although neither the Allies or Japanese realized it until later. What started out as the first US counter offensive against the Japanese nearly became a disaster but developed into a six month poker game in which each side would raise a bit at a time. In this book Rottman focuses on the average "ground pounders" from both sides. Neither country was ready or expecting to have a major battle in that place; so the ground troops were not completely prepared. Both sides had a hard time keeping their men fed; supplied and supported. The Solomon Islands are a hard climate to live in without the constant worry about having people want to shoot at you. Food was scarce; uniforms rotted; and tropical disease felled more men than the bullets did. Both sides showed great bravery and tenacity and anyone who went through the hell of Guadalcanal is deserving of respect. Rottman uses his military experience to examine the training; organization and tactics used by each side in late 1942 and how these affected the outcomes on Guadalcanal. Definitely a "must have" for the person interested in the Pacific War or in the USMC.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. It is evident that the Japanese military had extremely poor intelligence on the size of the force on GuadalcanalBy Joseph L. LyonThis was an interesting book providing much detailed information about the training; equipment and thinking behind each military's approach to their first confrontation. The Japanese had been fighting a full scale war in China since the 1930's with China and briefly with Russia. The U.S. Marines had been involved in small scale guerrilla war in central America.It is evident that the Japanese military had extremely poor intelligence on the size of the force on Guadalcanal. They also expected the U.S. to behave like the troops they had faced in China. Colonel Ichiki's decision to immediately attack with a battalion sized force without waiting for the rest of his regiment speaks to his expectations of an easy victory. It was the first miscalculation of many that followed on the part of the Japanese military. The information on equipment and its use was also helpful.