Midnight in the Pacific

Guadalcanal--The World War II Battle That Turned the Tide of War

Author: Joseph Wheelan

A sweeping narrative history - the first in over twenty years - of America's first major offensive of World War II, the brutal, no-quarter-given campaign to take Japanese-occupied Guadalcanal between August 7, 1942, and February 10, 1943

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Summary

Description

The first U.S. offensive of World War II began with no fanfare early August 7, 1942. But, before it ended six months later with the first U.S. land victory, Guadalcanal was a household name. There, marines faced bloody banzai attacks in the stifling malarial jungles while the U.S. sailors and pilots battled Japanese air and sea armadas day and night. The all-in battles consumed thousands of men, hundreds of planes, and dozens of warships and- stopped the Japanese Juggernaut. Guadalcanal was the Pacific War's turning point.

Published on the 75th anniversary of the battle, Midnight in the Pacific is both a sweeping narrative and a compelling drama of individual Marines, soldiers, and sailors caught in the cross-hairs of history.

Critic Reviews

“" Midnight in the Pacific is a highly detailed account of the battle for Guadalcanal that those with a love of military history are sure to enjoy."-- On Point: The Journal of Army History”

"Midnight in the Pacific brings to life the qualities of those who endured one of the critical struggles of World War II...Wheelan delivers the story in meticulously researched, chilling, riveting, and often gruesome detail...It will not only captivate those with a serious interest in the Pacific War, but it will also intrigue and inform a much broader audience."--Marine Corps Gazette
"Midnight in the Pacific is a highly detailed account of the battle for Guadalcanal that those with a love of military history are sure to enjoy."--On Point: The Journal of Army History
"[Wheelan] does an excellent job of highlighting the desperate fighting on all fronts."--New York Journal of Books
"An entertaining, fast-paced, adventure wrapped in stories of valor, horror and survival while remaining a necessary contribution to the history of Guadalcanal."
--WW2 Reads
"An impressive chronicle of one of the critical campaigns of the war."--WWII History
"Current-day readers, accustomed to an era of perpetual war with no end in sight, will find this expert, nuts-and-bolts history of a famous victory thoroughly satisfying."
--Kirkus
"Highly readable and provides a comprehensive examination of America's first offensive operation in World War II. This would be an excellent addition to the library of any historian or student with an interest on the subject."--Army University Press
"Very enjoyable."--Open Letters Monthly
"Written with scholarly precision, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds."--Midwest Book Review

About the Author

Joseph Wheelan is the author of eight previous books, including the highly-acclaimed Terrible Swift Sword and Jefferson's War. Before turning to writing books full time, Wheelan was a reporter and editor for The Associated Press for twenty-four years. He lives in Cary, North Carolina.