{"product_id":"challenge-for-the-pacific-guadalcanal-the-turning-point-of-the-war-9780553386912","title":"Challenge for the Pacific: Guadalcanal: The Turning Point of the War","description":"\u003cbr\u003e From Robert Leckie, the World War II veteran and \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eHelmet for My Pillow\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003c\/i\u003ewhose experiences were featured in the HBO miniseries \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Pacific\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, comes this vivid narrative of the astonishing six-month campaign for Guadalcanal. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e From the Japanese soldiers' carefully calculated--and ultimately foiled--attempt to build a series of impregnable island forts on the ground to the tireless efforts of the Americans who struggled against a tenacious adversary and the temperature and terrain of the island itself, Robert Leckie captures the loneliness, the agony, and the heat of twenty-four-hour-a-day fighting on Guadalcanal. Combatants from both sides are brought to life: General Archer Vandegrift, who first assembled an amphibious strike force; Isoroku Yamamoto, the naval general whose innovative strategy was tested; the island-born Allied scout Jacob Vouza, who survived hideous torture to uncover the enemy's plans; and Saburo Sakai, the ace flier who shot down American planes with astonishing ease. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Propelling the Allies to eventual victory, Guadalcanal was truly the turning point of the war. \u003ci\u003eChallenge for the Pacific \u003c\/i\u003eis an unparalleled, authoritative account of this great fight that forever changed our world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRobert Leckie\u003c\/b\u003e (1920-2001) was the author of more than 30 works of military history as well as \u003ci\u003eMarines!\u003c\/i\u003e, a collection of short stories, and \u003ci\u003eLord, What a Family!\u003c\/i\u003e, a memoir.\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eRaised in Rutherford, New Jersey, he started writing professionally at age 16, \u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003ecovering sports for the\u003ci\u003e Bergen Evening Record\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003eof Hackensack, New Jersey. Leckie enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor, going on to serve as a machine gunner\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eand as an intelligence scout and participating in all 1st Marine Division campaigns except\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eOkinawa. He was awarded five battle stars, the Naval Commendation\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eMedal with Combat V, and the Purple Heart. \u003ci\u003eHelmet for My Pillow\u003c\/i\u003e was his first book; it received the USMC\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eCombat Correspondents Association Award upon publication.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Random House Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50325337178386,"sku":"9780553386912","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_c554e227-9bfd-4db0-bea1-04bc21670aa3.jpg?v=1727683983","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/challenge-for-the-pacific-guadalcanal-the-turning-point-of-the-war-9780553386912","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}