Islands of Destiny: The Solomons Campaign and the Eclipse of the Rising Sun

by John Prados

Hardcover, 2012

Status

Available

Call number

940.54

Genres

History

General Nonfiction

Collection

Your library

Publication

NAL (2012), Edition: 1, 416 pages

Description

The Battle of Midway is traditionally held as the point when Allied forces gained advantage over the Japanese. In Islands of Destiny, acclaimed historian and military intelligence expert John Prados points out that the Japanese forces quickly regained strength after Midway and continued their assault undaunted. Taking this surprising fact as the start of his inquiry, he began to investigate how and when the Pacific tide turned in the Allies' favor. Using archives of WWII intelligence reports from both sides, Prados offers up a compelling reassessment of the true turning in the Pacific: not Midway, but the fight for the Solomon Islands. Combat in the Solomons saw a series of surface naval battles, including one of the key battleship-versus-battleship actions of the war; two major carrier actions; daily air duels, including the aerial ambush in which perished the famous Japanese naval commander Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku; and many other hair-raising exploits. Commencing with the Allied invasion of Guadalcanal, Prados shows how and why the Allies beat Japan on the sea, in the air, and in the jungles.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member mburdette

I will start by saying that, though I heartily agree with Prados' thesis that the Pacific War turning point was in the Solomons Campaign, I was initially unimpressed with the book. It seemed in bad need of an editor. Prados can have a stilted, choppy writing style that is difficult to read. He also

used incorrect terminology (it's F6F and F4F, not F-6F or F-4F) and flat out derogatory terms (an author using "Jap" when they are quoting a contemporary source is completely acceptable, using it while writing in their own voice is completely unacceptable.) He also referred to Guadalcanal as "Cactus" throughout the book, even when discussing Japanese (not Jap) planning in reference to it. It was confusing and bizarre considering that was the U.S. codename for Guadalcanal. Last he also made some pretty obvious historical errors (he refers to Gen. Lawton Collins as the commander of the Americal Division multiple times throughout a multi-paragraph stretch. Collins was the commander of the 25th Division not the Americal, something Prados should have known.) I was surprised at the number of faults I found considering Prados' impressive reputation as a historian. In defense of the book I will say it covers some interesting and new, for me, ground by integrating intelligence into the campaign. However, what really saved the book for me was the final chapter. There Prados does an excellent job of explaining how the Japanese (not Jap) conflict between decisive battle strategy and attrition battle operations really hurt them. That alone made the book worthwhile. I would suggest picking it up in the library and just reading that last chapter. If you want good books on the Guadalcanal and Solomons campaign I recommend Richard Frank's Guadalcanal and the relevant volumes from Samuel Eliot Morison's History.

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LibraryThing member jamespurcell

Excellent portrayal of the intense and crucial campaign for many small and obscure Pacific Islands with one great redeeming quality; they could become air bases. Air, sea and land battles, small and large occurred almost daily as Japanese strength and initiative waxed strongly then dramatically

waned under the growing Allied initiatives. Much pertinent and interesting detail, particularly in the intelligence gathering , analysis and utilization which provided the Allies with a significant advantage during these early and awkward days after Midway. Narrated well by Richard Ferrone.

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LibraryThing member liagiba

Useful to a reader already familiar with the campaign and interested in Japanese perspective contrasted with US perspective. Not a good overview for the casual reader, though.

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