The Aleutians 1942–43

Struggle for the North Pacific

The Aleutians 1942–43 cover

Description

A highly illustrated study of the Japanese conquest and American reconquest of the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska, one of the most inhospitable theatres of World War II.

It is often forgotten that during World War II, the Japanese managed to successfully invade and conquer a precious part of American home soil – the first time this had happened since 1815. Capturing the Aleutian Islands, located in Alaska territory, was seen by the Japanese as vital in order to shore up their northern defensive perimeter.

Fighting in the Aleutians was uniquely brutal. It is a barren, rugged archipelago of icy mountains and thick bogs, with a climate of constant snow, freezing rains and windstorms. These geographic conditions tended to neutralize traditional American strengths such as air power, radar, naval bombardment and logistics. The campaign to recapture the islands required extensive combined-ops planning, and inflicted on the United States its second highest casualty rate in the Pacific Theatre.

Featuring the largest Japanese banzai charge of the war, first use of pre-battle battleship bombardment in the Pacific and the battle at the Komandorski Islands, this is the full story of the forgotten battle to liberate American soil from the Japanese.

Table of Contents

Origins of the campaign

Chronology
Opposing commanders
Opposing armies
Orders of battle
Opposing plans
The campaign
Aftermath
The battlefields today

Further reading
Index

Product details

Published Mar 21 2019
Format Ebook (Epub)
Edition 1st
Extent 96
ISBN 9781472832535
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations Full colour maps, diagrams and photography throughout
Series Campaign
Short code CAM 333
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Brian Lane Herder

Brian Lane Herder graduated with a BA in History f…

Illustrator

Dorothy Hwee

Singpore born and bred, Dorothy J. Hwee started he…

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