Under the Southern Cross: The South Pacific Air Campaign Against Rabaul

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This narrative history of the Solomons campaign during World War II highlights a pivotal moment in the U.S. Navy's efforts against Japan in the Pacific. While the Battle of Midway in June 1942 halted Japanese expansion, it was the Battle of Guadalcanal and the subsequent Solomons Campaign that significantly weakened the Imperial Japanese Navy. From August 7, 1942, to February 24, 1944, the U.S. Navy faced its toughest campaign, experiencing such severe personnel losses that total casualty figures were withheld for years. Unlike the Central Pacific Campaign, which involved newer ships, the Solomons campaign relied on vessels that survived the Pearl Harbor attack and older units hastily sent to the Pacific. By late October, following the Battle of Santa Cruz, only the USS Enterprise remained as a pre-war carrier in the South Pacific, leaving the Navy vulnerable to a potential third major fleet action by Japan. Throughout much of the campaign, the outcome remained uncertain until American industrial production began to turn the tide. This account explores the Solomons campaign from land, sea, and air perspectives, providing a fresh look at the military offensive that established the foundation for Allied success in the broader Pacific War.