USN Cruiser vs IJN Cruiser: Guadalcanal 1942

Mark Stille

Bloomsbury USA, Oct 20, 2009 - History - 80 pages

Although the war in the Pacific is usually considered a carrier war, it was the cruisers that dominated the early fighting. This thrilling duel presents the cruiser clashes during the crucial battles for Guadacanal in 1942, highlighting the Battle of Savo Island on the August 9 and the Battle of Cape Esperance October 11-12th , 1942. The first was an overwhelming Japanese victory that resulted in the loss of four Allied cruisers. However, in the latter, the Americans managed to successfully turn the tables despite the fact that the was fought through the night under dangerous conditions.

This book presents a side-by-side view of the design and development of the opposing weapons systems, illustrated with newly commissioned digital artwork. It uses first-hand accounts to bring the desperate battles to life and explain why the American forces suffered early on, but eventually had their revenge.

About the author

Commander (retired) Mark O. Stille served as a career Naval Intelligence Officer, spending over five years of his naval career assigned to various US Navy carriers. He continues to work in this field in a civilian capacity. He holds an MA from the Naval War College and has had several wargames published. He lives in Virginia, USA. The author lives in Dunn Loring, Virginia.

Bibliographic information

• Title: USN Cruiser vs IJN Cruiser: Guadalcanal 1942
• Author: Mark Stille
• Illustrated by: Paul Wright, Howard Gerrard
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA, 2009
• ISBN: 1846034663, 9781846034664
• Length: 80 pages
• Subjects: History / Wars & Conflicts / World War II / General