Jeffrey R. Cox, Dark Waters, Starry Skies: The Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign, March-October 1943 by Kater Yip

The Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign, fought between March and October 1943, was the first Allied land victory over the Japanese in the Second World War.Beginning with a short description of the less-known Akikaze Massacre, the book covers the battles and events from Japan's attempts to recapture Guadalcanal, through the Japanese Operation I-Go, the ambush of Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, and finally, the Allied offensive in New Guinea.At first glance, Cox's book does not appear to have much in common with modern academic publications.It does not have a separate introduction, nor a clear statement regarding a central research question or even a central argument.This, however, does not undermine the value of the book.Its role is to dig deeply into every battle and nearly every moment during this little-known period of the war in the Pacific.As the first victorious Allied land offensive, the Battle of Guadalcanal was second in importance to the Battle of Midway, which doomed four Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) fleet carriers.Historical attention, however, has focused mostly on the early mid-stage of the campaign, which was the initial landing of American forces and the US Marine Corps' defense against the Japanese garrison.It also included the naval battles off Savo Island.Cox examines what happened after Japan's final attempts to regain the upper hand on the island, and to resupply the troops despite losing air supremacy in daylight.What remains unclear for many readers is how the battle connects to the larger strategic picture of the Pacific War.Cox's main research involves in-depth narratives covering this forgotten period of the war.He begins with a well-written history of the second half of the Guadalcanal Campaign as Japanese forces tried their best to turn the unfavourable tide on the island.This provides basic knowledge to those who are unfamiliar with events, plus adding context to what happened over the course of the war.He does not offer a strategic discussion of actions on either side but focuses more closely on the people involved, such as Admiral Yamamoto, USN.Admiral William Halsey Jr, and General Douglas MacArthur.But lesser, midranking officers are also included, executing their orders while under pressure from those above them.For example, when narrating the IJN's November landing operation, the author emphasizes the roots and consequences of the action.Before drawing a conclusion, he explains why the Japanese were forced to adopt the inefficient, yet partially-practical "Tokyo Express," using destroyers as fast transport to land the troops before sunset.This was due to

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