Combat leadership on guadalcanal: In extremis leadership of the Japanese and american soldiers in world war II

Abstract

How did the Japanese and American soldiers lead their men in combat? Drawing on the individual experiences of combat during the Guadalcanal campaign, characteristics of combat leadership exercised by the non-commissioned officers and junior officers of the Japanese Army and the American Army and Marine Corps are examined. The combat leadership styles of the American and Japanese soldiers are compared to see if there are any cultural differences or similarities. In particular, combat leadership principles espoused by the battle-seasoned soldiers on both sides are illustrated according to testimonies of the individual soldiers whom the author interviewed more than 20 years ago. Oral histories of primary and secondary sources are also used for describing combat leadership experiences. In conclusion, I argue that the hard-learned combat leadership principles in extreme situations like those on Guadalcanal are almost identical among the Japanese and American tactical leaders, although there are slight cultural differences.