War at the End of the World : Douglas MacArthur and the Forgotten Fight For New Guinea, 1942 - 1945 Hardcover – 7 Jan. 2016

Came on time in a fully minted condition. Could not have been better.If anyone is looking for a more broaden view of the 2nd world war and the Pacific war, this is a book to be missed. Countless research have been focused on operational, strategic and tactical process of the WW2 in the West (Blitzkrieg, U-boat, and the African campaigns etc), yet the Pacific War is often overlook. Here with detailed and deep research of the Papua New Guinea campaign, the jungle warfare fought between the Allied and the Axis are brought to light as well as the underlying theme of racial ideology that fuelled atrocities by both sides as they struggle to secure the 'Green Hell'. Operation at sea and air are not ignore while others conflicts that had strategic setback for the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy are methodologically linked such as the battle of Guadalcanal and Midway. You will be able to form a thesis that one of the main reason why Imperial Japan could not defeat its enemy in the Pacific despite overwhelming superiority of experienced air, navy forces and land forces was its ignorance of intelligence warfare, inability to adapt and change its tactics, non corporation with Nazi Germany and most importantly the vast industrial might of the United State ( an Economic warfare in a sense). The latter was an already achieved victory in an operational economic sense that the Japanese were going against so in a Clauswitzian sense time and space was against the them from the beginning.The role of General MacArthur is superbly researched and articulated, giving us information of a man having to deal with Roosevelt policy of 'Germany First' policy as well as having to struggle with overcoming the Japanese Army tactics . Readers would be able to conclude a conflicting view of whether he was really the man that turn the fortune in the Papau New Guinea so I will rest my case here. I would suggest getting this as well as ''Guadalcanal: account of a landmark battle'' as well as '' Japan during WW2 an Oral History'' to further comprehend the Pacific theathre of WW2, which was as brutal and important as the wester front.

A very good history book on the war in New Guinea. The only reason why I did not give it five stars is because of the existence of the excellent Rabaul trilogy by Bruce Gamble. This book by James P Duffy isn't quite in the same league as the books by Bruce Gamble, and not just because in three books you can write a lot more (verbiage) than in one book. Bruce Gamble's Rabaul trilogy is simply better written and cover its topic better than James Duffy does his topic in this book about New Guinea, but it is still a very good book that I can recommend to people interested in reading about World War II and the Japanese.

fine

This is a brilliant book and a great read. An epic but forgotten story of General McArthurs battle in New Guinea, a four year campaign in the mountainous jungle infested island of New Guinea. This was the start of the defeat of Japan in the South Pacific. It is an unknown and largely forgotten campaign fought by Australian and US troops in the Green hell of New Guineas jungles and mountains. It was a ruthless series of battles over 4 years that was compounded by tropical disease, unforgiving terrain. It is an excellent and well written history that sets in contextMcArthurs strategic campaign to defeat the Japanese in the south Pacific starting with the war in New Guinea. For British readers it fills in a gap in knowledge and understanding in the history of World War 2. A long forgotten but critically important history of the war against the Japanese in the South Pacific between 1942 and 1945. This will become a standard text for an understanding of the war in New Guinea. It also illustrates that McArthurs campaign in New Guinea was one of the most brilliant military campaigns in American history. It gives a great idea of the co-ordinated Army Navy and Air Force plans and cooperation that were essential to the Japanese defeat in the New Guinea and South Pacific military campaigns. A masterpiece in military history. Buy it and enjoy.