About the Author

William H. Bartsch, a former United Nations development economist and independent consultant now exclusively researching and writing on the Pacific War, lives in Reston, Virginia, USA. He is the author of three previous books published by Texas A&M University Press: Doomed at the Start: American Pursuit Pilots on the Philippines, 1941–1942, December 8, 1941: MacArthur's Pearl Harbor, and Every Day a Nightmare: American Pursuit Pilots in the Defense of Java, 1941–1942.

Reviews

"Victory Fever on Guadalcanal: Japan's First Land Defeat of World War II is a book predestined for the top ranks of all military titles written during the past decade. Bartsch describes the struggle in a scholarly, yet easy-to-read narrative form, allowing us to feel as if we were also engaged in combat. His writing is a tribute and reminder of what the island 'hell hole' was all about."--Leatherneck Magazine, January 2015-- (01/01/2015)

"As a battle study, this book stands head and shoulders above most works of its type. The author has woven together a narrative that I can only describe as peerless. It's a compelling story. The fact this is real, and not a novel, lends even more weight to the story. Whether you're a professional historian, or a World War II fan, you'll find this to be an essential book on the Pacific War. -- WWII Gyrene-- (12/20/2014)

"William Bartsch has made a caluable contribution to our understanding of the Guadalcanal campaign." -- Michigan War Studies Review, February 2016--Michigan War Studies Review (02/09/2016)

"William H. Bartsch--author of excellent books about air operations in the Philippines and Netherlands East Indies during the opening months of the war in the Pacific--takes readers back to the level of small units and individuals in the jungle of Guadalcanal. The result is a book with the same visceral, foxhole appeal of the Tregaskis classic, plus undisputed academic credentials that come from more than a decade of careful research in little-known resources on both sides of the Pacific, including interviews, diaries, letters, memoirs, and manuscripts by veterans--most of them sadly departed by now. Bartsch displays considerable skill in writing this thorough and seamless history of the human side of the battle. Overall, there's almost nothing to complain about in Victory Fever on Guadalcanal. Bartsch has written an appealing, exciting account of the Battle of the Tenaru, and his book emerges as one of the best WWII volumes of the year. Highly recommended."--Stone & Stone, Second World War Books, Winter 2014-- (12/15/2014)