Naval Battles off Guadalcanal

[Chantry]

I just finished reading Neptune's Inferno by James Hornfischer (who wrote the equally good "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors about the destroyers, destroyer escorts & esacort carriers battle of Samar Island during the Battle of Leyte Gulf). A very good book, it covers the naval battles off Guadalcanal from the landing to the Japanese withdrawal, concentrating primarily on the surface actions. I had long known that those battles were chaotic and fought at close ranges (by naval standards), but the book brings a new level of detail to those battles and reminded me that both the US victory there was by no means a sure thing and what a high price was paid to achieve that victory.

 

I'll also recommend "Japanese Destroyer Captain" by Capt. Tameichi Hara for a perspective from the opposite side. He commanded destroyers at Guadalcanal and Midway among other battles and commanded the light cruiser Yahagi which was part of the suicide run by the Yamato in 1945. It's interesting to see that Japan's decision to go to war was not universally popular among the Japanese Navy's officers.

[Utah Bob #35998]

I just finished reading Neptune's Inferno by James Hornfischer (who wrote the equally good "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors about the destroyers, destroyer escorts & esacort carriers battle of Samar Island during the Battle of Leyte Gulf). A very good book, it covers the naval battles off Guadalcanal from the landing to the Japanese withdrawal, concentrating primarily on the surface actions. I had long known that those battles were chaotic and fought at close ranges (by naval standards), but the book brings a new level of detail to those battles and reminded me that both the US victory there was by no means a sure thing and what a high price was paid to achieve that victory.

 

I'll also recommend "Japanese Destroyer Captain" by Capt. Tameichi Hara for a perspective from the opposite side. He commanded destroyers at Guadalcanal and Midway among other battles and commanded the light cruiser Yahagi which was part of the suicide run by the Yamato in 1945. It's interesting to see that Japan's decision to go to war was not universally popular among the Japanese Navy's officers.

 

 

Decisions to go to war are never universally popular among military commanders. They know the consequences.

[Chantry]

Decisions to go to war are never universally popular among military commanders. They know the consequences.

 

I know, but accepted history has strongly suggested that the Japanese military was far more behind the war then appears to be the case, plus it didn't help that the infighting between the Japanese Army and the Japanese Navy made (and make) the squabbles between the US branches of the military seem insignificant.

[Sergeant Smokepole #29248L]

Going to war is more popular amongst the Flag Officers than the Grunts that have to fight them....

[S. Quentin Quale, Esq. SASS 9953]

The Japanese Army was very energetic in urging wars in the 1930s (and starting them by itself if the political leadership didn't "lead" fast enough). The Japanese Navy was far more reluctant, at least among the senior officers, as they had traveled more and many had some experience in the U.S. and Great Britain. Yamamoto was the best example of this, but he was not the only one.

 

Toland, in his multiple works on Japan, frequenly delves into the often dramatic split of opinion between the Japanese Army and Navy on military policy. IIRC he notes that the Navy's more junior officers were far more aggressive in urging military actions. JOs in both services were often very vocal if they thought a senior officer didn't demonstrate a "fighting spirit." There were even instances of JOs assassinating seniors who were not "aggressive enough." It was a level of insubordination that would not be tollerated in any Western organization. Perhaps the most dramatic example was the attempt to prevent the surrender of Japan in August, 1945. That was not, nowever, the only example. The Japanese military and naval establishments were really rather unique in many ways.

 

Destroyer Captain is an outstanding read. I've not read the others. Yet.

 

SQQ

[Bucky Buscadero, SASS #73085]

II am currently reading "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors". What a vivid picture it paints of the feats, courage, losses and suffering those involved went through. I recommend it highly.

 

Bucky