Hello and welcome to the World War II podcast I'm Angus Wallace. One of my first

guests was Jeffrey Cox. We discussed in length the Java C campaign in

episode 14. Well, Jeffrey has had his head down and

has been busy penning his follow-up book, Morning Star, midnight sun, which looks at

the early Guadalcanal Solomon's campaign in 1942, and that's what we're going to be discussing in this episode.

But before we get started, I'd like to thank Michael Samuels. Not only has he become a patron of the show, but he sent me some interesting documents in regards to the Book and Vol Airmen episode. If you have anything you'd like to share,

you can shoot me an email using a contact page in the website,

W.W.2 Podcast.com, or find me on Facebook. If the Hunicon's, I may have some pictures of the

castle featured in Castle of Eagles where the British prisoners of war were

held in Italy. All good stuff. Don't forget if you like

what I'm doing you can help support the show at patreon.com slash W. W.2 podcast.

Once a patron, you'll find some extra bits and pieces

I've produced exclusively for supporters of the show. So that's Patreon.com slash W.W2

podcast. Right Jeff it's great to have you back. A simple question first. I suspect most people can't put a

pin in the map where the Solomon Islands are. So where are they?

They are in the South Pacific. They are sort of northeast of Australia across the coral sea.

So what's the importance of Guadalcanal for the Japanese to occupy them in 42?

What the Japanese were doing at this point was they had a strategy of trying to isolate Australia.

That strategy was kind of sidelined

by the midway operation for the Navy.

The Army was always proceeding to isolate Australia by crossing New Guinea, Papua, and taking Port Moresby,

so that Australia could be compelled to leave the war.

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