It is one of the most difficult campaigns in the history of the Marine Corps, indeed in the history of war. Many books have chronicled the epic battle for Guadalcanal, yet all of them depended on the after-action report compiled by Merrill B. Twining. Here General Twining reveals that he put this report together in Australia while he was suffering from malaria. He also lacked the 1st Marine Division operations log, which had been destroyed at a critical point in the battle to prevent its falling into Japanese hands. Because of these handicaps, the after-action report contained a number of shortcomings that have been repeated in all subsequent histories of Guadalcanal.

Includes maps of : Planning and Operational Phases of the Guadalcanal Campaign; Guadalcanal and Florida Islands; Perimeter - Guadalcanal, 12 August 1942; Edson's Ridge - Final Phase, Night of 13 September 1942; Matanikau Offensive, 7-9 October 1942; Tentative Plan of Withdrawal from Lunga Point. The softcover edition reprinted 1997.