John B. Lundstrom Livres

On May 7 and 8, 1942, fast carrier task forces from the United States and Imperial Japanese met in combat for the first time in the Battle of the Coral Sea. A strategic victory for the U.S. despite the loss of the carrier Lexington, the battle blunted the Japanese drive on Port Moresby, a valuable Allied air base on the island of New Guinea. Lundstrom offers a detailed analysis of the fundamental strategies employed by Japan and the U.S. in the South Pacific from January to June 1942, the efforts of Adm. Ernest J. King to reinforce the area in spite of Roosevelt's Europe First grand strategy and Adm. Chester Nimitz's aggressive plans to fight in the Coral Sea. Now in paperback, The First Pacific Campaign provides a superb overview of the crucial first six months of the naval war in the South Pacific.

Focusing on the experiences of the Ninth Minnesota, the narrative explores their defiance in saving a slave family, enduring harsh defeats, and facing imprisonment during the Civil War. The journey highlights their resilience and camaraderie amid adversity, culminating in their eventual victory and the challenges they faced in postwar America. This account sheds light on the complexities of war, sacrifice, and the quest for justice in a turbulent era.