Bloody Ridge: The Battle That Saved Guadalcanal [Mass Market Paperback]

Michael T. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 28, 2003

September 1942: American forces landed on the island of Guadalcanal, engaging the entrenched Japanese in what would be remembered as some of the worst fighting of World War II. The key to victory lay in controlling the ridge overlooking Henderson Field, a vital airfield and the prize of the Guadalcanal campaign.

This was the site of a savage, three-day clash that would test the mettle of both sides. Launching a series of vicious attacks on successive nights, a vastly superior force of battle-hardened Japanese somehow lost to a mongrel battalion of Col. "Red Mike" Edson's malnourished, sickly Marines in what became known as the Battle of Bloody Ridge. The surprising victory marked the first significant Japanese defeat in the war, saved the airfield, and gave the small, under-supplied American force time to receive supplies and reinforcements.

This is the true story of that harrowing battle, when the fate of the war in the Pacific would rest with those who were tough enough to take Bloody Ridge.

INCLUDES BATTLE MAPS AND HISTORICAL PHOTOS

Editorial Reviews

Review

Veterans Voice One of the turning points of the Second World War is ably described. -- Review

About the Author

Michael S. Smith is an active duty naval officer and a life-long student of the Guadalcanal campaign. A communications expert, Smith has served in the U.S. Navy for more than twenty years and is currently stationed in Washington State, where he lives with his wife and four sons. Bloody Ridge is his first book.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (January 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743463218
• ISBN-13: 978-0743463218
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Book Remembers Forgotten Heroes, November 5, 2000

By 

Jim Garrett (Ft. Walton Beach, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bloody Ridge: The Battle that Saved Guadalcanal (Hardcover)

Just finished reading this book -- it is quite good. My father fought at Guadalcanal, so it is something I have grown up with. Having read several descriptions of the battle for Bloody Ridge -- the most important battle in the six month's long campaign for Guadalcanal -- I consider this the most lucid account. The new, detailed maps and description of movements by both sides paint a clear picture (for the first time) of what went on; they show how the three day drama unfolded as "Red Mike" Edson held his tiny force together against the onslaught of more than three times his number.

This book combines the detail of Richard B. Frank's "Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account" and the personal narrative style of Eric Hammel's "Starvation Island" to make a very readable version of the battle. The wide diversity of sources which have been used adds a lot to the perspective and context; much of this information has never been pulled together to my knowledge into a single coherent account. "Bloody Ridge: The Battle that Saved Guadalcanal" is rich in particulars, with plenty of detailed appendices and footnotes. Nor is the opponent's side of the battle neglected; the author's research includes many Japanese sources to tell what was going on at the other end of the island.

I would love to see Mr. Smith's wonderful scholarship and clean narrative style applied to the closing months of 1942 and the final battle of the Matanikou in October which put the lid on any future Japanese offensive effort. Maybe Mr. Smith will write another book about that (hint, hint)!

Thank goodness for Vandegrift, Edson and the USMC! They were tough, smart jungle fighters who were in just the right place at just the right time. The nation owes much to these largely forgotten heroes of the Pacific. Thank you Michael Smith for reminding us of the debt we owe to their memory.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars BLOODY RIDGE REVISITED, October 28, 2000

By 

PETER (ESSENDON, VICTORIA Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bloody Ridge: The Battle that Saved Guadalcanal (Hardcover)

As a military history enthusiast I am very glad to add this book to my library . I have always been interested in the Guadalcanal Campaign and this book adds new information to the volumes written about it .

Michael has chosen the crucial battle of the struggle for the island , when the Japanese came closest to retaking the airfield . After setting the stage he takes us through the buildup to the Ridge - the landing and the battle of the Tenaru (Ilu) , while tracing the path of the Kawaguchi detachment and the Marine Raiders to the Ridge .

All the way along he has included new pieces of information that I for one had not read before,plus veteran accounts I had not seen.

His account of the 2 nights on the Ridge is one of the clearest I have read , aided in no small measure by the maps detailing the unit positions and the identification of the individual Japanese units and commanders .

It this point I should say that I have visited Guadalcanal and walked over Edsons Ridge 4 times during 1995-99 . So reading his account I could really identify with the "lay of the land" and the Raider positions . Believe me , there are enough foxhole remains , barbed wire and other relics still lying about to bring home to you what took place here .Even though a lot of the 1942 jungle around the ridge has been cat back since the terrain is still not easy to negotiate in daylight,let alone darkness .

It is only a 10 minute walk from Edsons position on Hill 123 to Henderson Field and so it really was a close thing that could easily have gone the other way , as Michael points out very well in his post battle comments ; What would have happened if the Raiders had been defeated AND Vandergrift and his HQ has been wiped out??

I can thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in the fight for Guadalcanal!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Research, Fast Read, October 29, 2000

By 

Chris Greer (Naples, Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bloody Ridge: The Battle that Saved Guadalcanal (Hardcover)

As a Marine officer, I always thought of Guadacanal in two ways: the Navy abondoned us (and they did) and Chesty Puller. This book rounds out the big picture of the campaign and brings the key battle for Henderson Field to life. The research is awesome! I was constantly amazed at the depth of the sources and the detail. This book is on par with any of the non-fiction battle accounts I have read over the years. It is an easy read, blending official narratives with personal accounts to add life to the tale. I only wish the book had finished out the campaign! If you are a student of warfare, in particular, Marine warfare, this book must be added to your collection. I read it in three sittings but came away with a greater understanding of the Hell that was the "Canal". It brought me closer to the Marines who upheld the traditions of the Marine Corps in this first battle in the long march across the Pacific.