Jon Diamond is an accomplished author with a number of published books to his credit. His previous works include “Stilwell and the Chindits”, War In the South Pacific, Invasion of Sicily, Invasion of the Italian Mainland, Anzio and Victory at Cassino, and now MacArthur’s Papua New Guinea Offensive 1942-1943. These and other books by Mr. Diamond are published by and available through Pen and Sword.

The Japanese strategy was to threaten northern Australia by capturing Port Moresby. In this publication Mr. Diamond lays out the strategy that MacArthur put forward to thwart this Japanese plan. The text that Mr. Diamond provides is comprehensive in its coverage of the theatre of operations, the impact of the geography in which the campaign took place, and a study of the commanders and combatants involved in the fighting.

This is not “light” reading. It is a detailed study of the strategies of the opposing forces and an in-depth view of the campaigns, battles, and personnel on both sides. The 250 images are stunning and thought-provoking, revealing the intense nature of the fighting influenced by the landscape and the ideologies of the troops and their commanders.

This book is in the “Images of War” collection published by Pen and Sword. Mr. Diamond visited archives and presents a collection of very powerful images which historians, and those in the modeling community, will find impressive.

Contents

• Chapter One
  • Overview of the South-West Pacific Area in 1942 and the Strategic Importance of Papua
• Chapter Two
  • Terrain, Weaponry and Fortifications
• Chapter Three
  • Commanders and Combatants
• Chapter Four
  • The Allied Attacks on the Buna, 16 Nov 1942 to 22 Jan 1943
• Chapter Five
  • The allied Attacks on Gona, Sanananda and Giruwa
• Epilogue and References

This book is highly recommended for its coverage of the Papua New Guinea Offensive, the concise and detailed text, the excellent quality of the images and maps, and all at a reasonable price. Thanks to Pen And Sword for providing a copy of this publication to IPMS/USA for review.