Charles R. Anderson (1) (1943–)

Short but excellent narrative of difficulties to be faced then and in future battles against the Japanese. Fanatic and tenacious, they were willing to fight to the very last man. Logistics and health issues were early to this campaign area and were exacerbated by inter-service squabbles. New equipment, strategy, and tactics would be needed and were slow to evolve. Outstanding analysis and summary at the end of the book. We learned a lot on Guadalcanal but the learning curve, particularly at the senior officer would be steep indeed. They were still weeding out ineffective generals and admirals until late in this campaign.

Brief, but quite good. overview of the strategic and tactical aspects of the earliest and longest land battle in the South Pacific. The learning curve was quite steep but the lessons learned were invaluable.… (mais)

An excellent short read, 27 pages.

This booklet is about the Guadalcanal campaign during the early stages of World War II. The islands are in the South Pacific Area (Maj. Gen. Millard F. Harmon, for army troops). The focus is primarily upon the U.S. Army ground forces, but the other services are addressed as appropriate. The period of time is from August 7, 1942, to February 21, 1943. It addresses the 1st Marine (Maj. Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift), the Americal (Maj. Gen. Alexander M. Patch ), the 2nd Marine, the CAM (Composite Army-Marine, Gen. Patch) and the 25th Divisions (Maj. Gen. J. Lawton Collins) and the XIV Corps (Patch). The Japanese army forces are the 2nd and 38th Divisions of the Seventeenth Army (Lt. Gen. Harukichi Hyakutake) and navy forces are the Southeastern Fleet. The marines landed on August 7th and the first army units, the 164th Infantry regiment (Col. Bryant E. Moore), landed on October 13, 1942.

Although the maps are very good, they are too few. The opening on the 'Strategic Setting' is very good and the ending 'Analysis' provides an excellent recap.… (mais)

3463. The Grunts, by Charles R. Anderson (read July 20, 2001) This is a well-written account of a month in the field in Vietnam in May 1969 by a Marine, first published in 1976. The language is tape-recorder literal and filled with scatological obscenities, but somehow it did not bother me too much because it was obviously accurate--though I have read really great books of the kind which did very well without the literality: I think of With the Old Breed, by E. B. Sledge, which I read Mar 9, 2001, and which is probably the best book of its kind extant and which conveyed the time of a Marine in World War II as well as it has ever been done, I thought, and all the language in that book could be used in decent company. The Grunts does a lot of talking about why men acted as they did in Vietnam, and quite a bit of what is said sounds plausible. This book was well worth the nickel or dime I paid for it (at a rummage sale).… (mais)