#1 New York Times Bestseller: A “superb” eyewitness account of one of the bloodiest and most pivotal battles of World War II (Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down). On August 7, 1942, eleven thousand US Marines landed on Tulagi and Guadalcanal Islands in the South Pacific. It was the first major Allied offensive against Japanese forces; the first time in history that a combined air, land, and … that a combined air, land, and sea assault had ever been attempted; and, after six months of vicious fighting, a crushing defeat for the Empire of Japan and a major turning point in the Pacific War.
Volunteer combat correspondent Richard Tregaskis was one of only two journalists on hand to witness the invasion of Guadalcanal. He risked life and limb to give American readers a soldier’s experience of the war in the Pacific, from the suffocating heat and humidity to the unique terror of fighting in tall, razor-sharp grass and in crocodile-infested jungle streams against a concealed enemy. In understated yet graceful prose, Tregaskis details the first two months of the campaign and describes the courage and camaraderie of young marines who prepared for battle knowing that one in four of them wouldn’t make it home.
An instant bestseller when it was first published in 1943 and the basis for a popular film of the same name, Guadalcanal Diary set the standard for World War II reportage. Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the literary events of its time,” it is a masterpiece of war journalism whose influence can be found in classic works such as John Hersey’s Hiroshima, Michael Herr’s Dispatches, and Dexter Filkins’s The Forever War.
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Richard Tregaskis including rare images from the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming.
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By one of the two correspondents who was there from the beginning, this is a first-hand account of that first US offensive of the Pacific War. Spanning the six months from landing to victory it is a classic of nonfiction from World War II.
This is one of the classic WW2 books of the Pacific Theater. It’s not as meaty as Toland’s The Rising Son (even for one battle) or Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Rather, I would consider this on the lines of a segment from Ambrose’s Band of Brothers. If you like this, you’ll also like Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.
Old school journalist laying it all on the line for some great stories. He didn’t just talk to the generals, he went out with the grunts in the middle of the action.
This is about as real as it gets. He is a good writer and he captures the horror of war as only a reportercan
A great description of an important segment of World War II history from the point-of-view of someone there to record it.
Guadalcanal survivors are rare today. I need to know everything I can learn about the war my father volunteered for and served. This book tells the experiences of some of the Marines. Those were true Americans.
Tregaskis shaped America’s understanding of the war, and influenced every account that came after… A superb example of war reporting at its best.
Captures the spirit of men in battle.
This book captures what happen during the Guadalcanal fighting. You are drawn in and it as if you are there watching the events unfold.
Enjoyed
Interesting first-hand view of a key battle in the Pacific from a well-known WWII reporter. Not quite front line descriptions, which are plentiful, but rather a realistic view how preparations are made and how battle information gets processed.
This is a gritty on the ground unflinching account of one of the pivoal battles of the Pacific Theater.It was published even before the war was won and over.It gave the American public a glimpse into the horrors of what our young men were going through. It also portrayed, the sacrifices and courage our soldiers showed in the face of an unrelenting and experienced enemy. This is a must read for anyone with an interest in the Worl War II era.
Great read ! Semipermanent fi
This diary of an original “embedded” journalist offers a personal look at war and its effects on those involved. This was as good as any of the histories I’ve read of Guadalcanal and World War II in the Pacific arena. You feel like you are right there from start to finish. Makes you want to go looking for more of the author’s diary books.
Good book, but it only shows life from an officer’s point if view.
I love the perspective taken throughout the book. It was the “fly on the wall” perspective of the operation.
This book has been around since W.W. II. It was written by a war correspondent who, while on the scene, did not in my opinion report either the magnitude, nor the importance, nor the horror of the conflict.
Vivid portrayal of the horrors of WWII.
Great eyewitness to history
I recall the movie of the same name and enjoyed reading the person behind
The movie and book. This battle was one of the turning points of WW2.
What these true heroes endured and over came is remarkable. Thankyou