Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Hi all, I hope you can ssist me, and my apologies if this info is already posted elsewhere here. There is so much info in these forums, hard to filter it down to what I need.
I'm working on a project, and need to find some resources which describe the positions and movements of Japanese forces during the Guadalcanal campaign. Strong points, strategic locations, HQs, artillery emplacements, supply routes, that kind of thing. With dates if available.
Ideally, charts in English, or photos with clear references against terrain features, or other marks which allow me to find the positions as they may still exist now, using satellite imagery, and/or a field trip (once this Covid thing finishes).
Alternatively, accounts or records in English which describe locations and movement. Unfortunately, Japanese is not a language I have any skill with.
Anything, really. There is plenty about US dispositions and movements, but I have been finding it difficult to get accurate sources from the Japanese side of things.
Thanks in advance for your help with this. I recognise some of your names from around the place, so I know you are the guys who can get the good oil.
I'm working on a project, and need to find some resources which describe the positions and movements of Japanese forces during the Guadalcanal campaign. Strong points, strategic locations, HQs, artillery emplacements, supply routes, that kind of thing. With dates if available.
Ideally, charts in English, or photos with clear references against terrain features, or other marks which allow me to find the positions as they may still exist now, using satellite imagery, and/or a field trip (once this Covid thing finishes).
Alternatively, accounts or records in English which describe locations and movement. Unfortunately, Japanese is not a language I have any skill with.
Anything, really. There is plenty about US dispositions and movements, but I have been finding it difficult to get accurate sources from the Japanese side of things.
Thanks in advance for your help with this. I recognise some of your names from around the place, so I know you are the guys who can get the good oil.
- Akira Takizawa
- Member
- Posts: 3373
- Joined: 26 Feb 2006, 18:37
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
The sources in Japanese side are, of course, in Japanese. The best source is Senshi Sosho (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senshi_S%C5%8Dsho). But, there is no English translation about Guadalcanal campaign in Senshi Sosho. Senshi Sosho can be read on the net. The volumes of Senshi Sosho regarding Guadalcanal campaign are as follows.
http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/military_hist ... ?kanno=014
http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/military_hist ... ?kanno=028
Taki
http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/military_hist ... ?kanno=014
http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/military_hist ... ?kanno=028
Taki
-
- Financial supporter
- Posts: 5671
- Joined: 16 May 2010, 15:12
- Location: United States of America
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
You may find something useful here: https://usacac.army.mil/organizations/cace/carl
-
- Financial supporter
- Posts: 5671
- Joined: 16 May 2010, 15:12
- Location: United States of America
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
And https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/U ... index.html
Hearty souls would give this a look. https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/Monos/index.html
Hearty souls would give this a look. https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/Monos/index.html
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Thanks Taki, they are really good. I've found a few handy charts already, still looking. I did download a few of the translated Senshi Sosho the other day which are useful in general terms, but the two you have linked are the ones I need. Hopefully one day, more of these will be translated, a fantastic resource.Akira Takizawa wrote: ↑20 Jan 2022, 13:13The sources in Japanese side are, of course, in Japanese. The best source is Senshi Sosho (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senshi_S%C5%8Dsho). But, there is no English translation about Guadalcanal campaign in Senshi Sosho. Senshi Sosho can be read on the net. The volumes of Senshi Sosho regarding Guadalcanal campaign are as follows.
http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/military_hist ... ?kanno=014
http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/military_hist ... ?kanno=028
Taki
Cheers for that. I'm an Aussie, I'll knock on the door and see if they let me in. I'm sure there is a lot of good stuff in there.OpanaPointer wrote: ↑20 Jan 2022, 15:13You may find something useful here: https://usacac.army.mil/organizations/cace/carl
Both very, very good. Many thanks. I have been looking at those documents. Plenty of great, well written info.OpanaPointer wrote: ↑20 Jan 2022, 15:16And https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/U ... index.html
Hearty souls would give this a look. https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/Monos/index.html
Are there any sources for Japanese maps of the area? I can't read the script, but I can read the maps themselves.
-
- Financial supporter
- Posts: 5671
- Joined: 16 May 2010, 15:12
- Location: United States of America
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Lots of maps in the Monographs. I haven't looked at the mono(s) on the Solomons for a few decades.
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Working through the lot of them now. So far I've found some good stuff, cheers!OpanaPointer wrote: ↑20 Jan 2022, 17:47Lots of maps in the Monographs. I haven't looked at the mono(s) on the Solomons for a few decades.
The problem is with not getting sidetracked.... Spent three hous reading about Singapore today, instead of Guadalcanal.
-
- Financial supporter
- Posts: 5671
- Joined: 16 May 2010, 15:12
- Location: United States of America
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
I've been called all kinds of things by the partners of people who went into Hyperwar and never came out again.
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Ha ha... I can believe that. It's a pretty good rabbit hole.
Between Hyperwar and Senshi Sosho, I'm going to be busy for a while.
I just finished going through the Senshi Sosho, will clean up some of the maps and post them here for anybody else that could use them. I can't read Japanese, but I can use Photoshop. I just have to choose the right battles. )
Between Hyperwar and Senshi Sosho, I'm going to be busy for a while.
I just finished going through the Senshi Sosho, will clean up some of the maps and post them here for anybody else that could use them. I can't read Japanese, but I can use Photoshop. I just have to choose the right battles. )
-
- Member
- Posts: 1541
- Joined: 01 Feb 2020, 19:10
- Location: Coral and brass
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Here's the US Army campaign history; published in 1948, so there are positives (immediacy) and negatives (intel not widely discussed) but a lot of insight, useful maps and graphics, etc.
https://history.army.mil/html/books/005 ... ub_5-3.pdf
https://history.army.mil/html/books/005 ... ub_5-3.pdf
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Thanks Dave. What I've read so far there is a pretty good read.daveshoup2MD wrote: ↑23 Jan 2022, 00:49Here's the US Army campaign history; published in 1948, so there are positives (immediacy) and negatives (intel not widely discussed) but a lot of insight, useful maps and graphics, etc.
https://history.army.mil/html/books/005 ... ub_5-3.pdf
I'm wading through vast amounts of material, in 100 different directions now. But the project is starting to come together. The foundations, at least. Some really interesting stuff.
I've pulled and processed around 60 of the Guadalcanal charts from Senshi Sosho at this point, still have another 20 or so to process. Some of the plates they used aren't so clear, but on the whole they are pretty good, and they generally have good resolution, so they are often pretty clear and detailed.
I'm giving them a quick look to see if I can place where the actions occured, but haven't dug too deeply into dates, or anything else really. And I'm not messing with colours or anything, to keep the images as clean and original as possible.
Here's an example or two:
-
- Member
- Posts: 1541
- Joined: 01 Feb 2020, 19:10
- Location: Coral and brass
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Sure -fascinating stuff. If you can get them from the library, Morison's volume (USN), the USMC history, and even the USAAF history all have a lot of good material (less so re ground forces in the USAAF history, of course). I don't think any are available in their entirety via the internet, at least they were not so a few years ago.Smoj wrote: ↑24 Jan 2022, 21:33Thanks Dave. What I've read so far there is a pretty good read.daveshoup2MD wrote: ↑23 Jan 2022, 00:49Here's the US Army campaign history; published in 1948, so there are positives (immediacy) and negatives (intel not widely discussed) but a lot of insight, useful maps and graphics, etc.
https://history.army.mil/html/books/005 ... ub_5-3.pdf
I'm wading through vast amounts of material, in 100 different directions now. But the project is starting to come together. The foundations, at least. Some really interesting stuff.
I've pulled and processed around 60 of the Guadalcanal charts from Senshi Sosho at this point, still have another 20 or so to process. Some of the plates they used aren't so clear, but on the whole they are pretty good, and they generally have good resolution, so they are often pretty clear and detailed.
I'm giving them a quick look to see if I can place where the actions occured, but haven't dug too deeply into dates, or anything else really. And I'm not messing with colours or anything, to keep the images as clean and original as possible.
Here's an example or two:
Matanikau.png
Ilu River.png
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
The State Library in my city may have access to those books, but I doubt it. The online copies will probably have to do. Next time I'm down that way, I'll have a look. The Australian War Memorial in Canberra will no doubt have some good stuff from the RAN and RAAF as well.
I'll probably need the next few years to get through all the material I've received the links for from you guys anyway, short of going to Tokyo myself, it's a pretty good start. I really appreciate the push in the right direction. So far I think I have what I need, for now.
But I'll be digging deep for other aspects of the campaign soon enough. It's difficult to not get ahead of myself... And difficult to keep on track, not getting distracted by the info about other battles. But the links you all have provided have been very useful.
If you're interested, I'll keep you guys informed if and when this project hits critical mass, and sees the light of day.
I'll probably need the next few years to get through all the material I've received the links for from you guys anyway, short of going to Tokyo myself, it's a pretty good start. I really appreciate the push in the right direction. So far I think I have what I need, for now.
But I'll be digging deep for other aspects of the campaign soon enough. It's difficult to not get ahead of myself... And difficult to keep on track, not getting distracted by the info about other battles. But the links you all have provided have been very useful.
If you're interested, I'll keep you guys informed if and when this project hits critical mass, and sees the light of day.
-
- Member
- Posts: 1541
- Joined: 01 Feb 2020, 19:10
- Location: Coral and brass
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
FWIW:Smoj wrote: ↑25 Jan 2022, 17:05The State Library in my city may have access to those books, but I doubt it. The online copies will probably have to do. Next time I'm down that way, I'll have a look. The Australian War Memorial in Canberra will no doubt have some good stuff from the RAN and RAAF as well.
I'll probably need the next few years to get through all the material I've received the links for from you guys anyway, short of going to Tokyo myself, it's a pretty good start. I really appreciate the push in the right direction. So far I think I have what I need, for now.
But I'll be digging deep for other aspects of the campaign soon enough. It's difficult to not get ahead of myself... And difficult to keep on track, not getting distracted by the info about other battles. But the links you all have provided have been very useful.
If you're interested, I'll keep you guys informed if and when this project hits critical mass, and sees the light of day.
Morison:
https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2092918
USMC History:
https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Histo ... 262400.pdf
USAAF History:
https://media.defense.gov/2010/Nov/05/2 ... 05-010.pdf
Re: Japanese positions at Guadalcanal.
Thanks very much. I can't get to the National Library just now (I'm 4-5,000km away), but the other two links are great. I've started reading the USMC history, and will definitely need to read the USAAF history later too, once I start working the air angle.daveshoup2MD wrote: ↑26 Jan 2022, 08:58FWIW:Smoj wrote: ↑25 Jan 2022, 17:05The State Library in my city may have access to those books, but I doubt it. The online copies will probably have to do. Next time I'm down that way, I'll have a look. The Australian War Memorial in Canberra will no doubt have some good stuff from the RAN and RAAF as well.
I'll probably need the next few years to get through all the material I've received the links for from you guys anyway, short of going to Tokyo myself, it's a pretty good start. I really appreciate the push in the right direction. So far I think I have what I need, for now.
But I'll be digging deep for other aspects of the campaign soon enough. It's difficult to not get ahead of myself... And difficult to keep on track, not getting distracted by the info about other battles. But the links you all have provided have been very useful.
If you're interested, I'll keep you guys informed if and when this project hits critical mass, and sees the light of day.
Morison:
https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2092918
USMC History:
https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Histo ... 262400.pdf
USAAF History:
https://media.defense.gov/2010/Nov/05/2 ... 05-010.pdf
Cheers!