The Origin of Operation Watchtower, the code name for the Guadalcanal invasion, began on December 7, 1941 with the Japanese strike at Pearl Harbor. In the weeks that followed, Japanese forces swept virtually unchallenged through the vast reaches of the Pacific. However, in May of 1942, the tide began to turn at the Battle of the Coral Sea, before the shattering American victory at Midway opened the way for the United States to strike back. The question was where, and the answer was the Solomon Islands. In this volume, we will join the Marines as they go ashore on the Japanese held islands of Tulagi and Guadalcanal and watch as the enemy quickly counters their early successes.

Chapters:

Day of Infamy	Battle of Savo Island
The Rising Sun	First Days Ashore
The Coral Sea	The Tenaru
Midway	The Battle of The Eastern Solomons
Pestilence	Boredom and Fear
Watchtower	Battle of Edison's Ridge
First Offensive	Loss of the Wasp

 

Cactus was the American code name for Guadalcanal and for the men who fought and died there, the name was eerily prophetic. The Marines most significant asset was an airstrip known as Henderson Field, little more than a wide spot in the road, but crucial to the defense of the island. The Japanese fully understood its strategic value and sought to wrest control of the airfield through a series of furious attacks. Frustrated by their inability to dislodge the Americans, the Japanese launch a massive assault on the island in mid-November in an all or nothing effort. The pressure on the Japanese builds to the breaking point as they struggle to regain control over what they call, "The Island of Death."

Chapters:

Reinforcement and Reassessment	That Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
Matanikau River Actions	Point Cruz & Koli Point
The Battle of Cape Esperance	The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
The Bombardment	The 2nd Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
The Battle for Henderson Field	The Final Push

Extra Feature:
Interactive timeline for major battles and events in the Pacific, North Africa, Russia and Western Europe between May 1942 and February 1943.