In March 1942, General Douglas MacArthur faced an enemy who, in the space of a few months, had captured Malaya, Burma, the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, and, from their base at Raubaul in New Britain, threatened Australia. Upon his retreat to Australia, MacArthur hoped to find enough men and material for a quick offensive against the Japanese. Instead, he had available to him only a small and shattered air force, inadequate naval support, and an army made up almost entirely of untried reservists. Here is one of history's most controversial commanders, battling his own superiors for enough supplies (as President Roosevelt favored the European Theater), butting heads with the Navy (which opposed his initiatives), and on his way to making good his promise of liberating the Philippines.

Offensive preparations -- The Australians defend Wau -- The Bismarck Sea Battle and Cartwheel preliminaries -- Salamaua-Lae operations -- The occupation of Finschhafen -- Command relations -- Arawe and Cape Gloucester -- Saidor and Shaggy Ridge -- The Admiralty Islands gambit -- Hollandia : the great leap forward -- The bomber line advances : Wakde and Lone Tree Hill -- Bloody Biak -- Final conquests : Driniumor River, Noemfoor, and Sansapor.