06/22/09

The Battle of Guadalcanal

The Battle of Guadalcanal was a land mark battle in the Pacific. It was the first battle in which US forces used the tactics of an island assault. The reason why US forces chose to invade Guadalcanal was because of the Japanese construction of an air field there in July of 1942. On August 7^th and 8^th, US Marines were landed on Guadalcanal and on other smaller islands, Tulagi and Gavutu, near the “Canal”. Fortunately, the landings here were not opposed by any major Japanese units. The air field was quickly taken and named Henderson field.

On August 20^th, the first contingent of US aircraft arrived at Henderson field giving the Americans some needed air cover.

Although the Americans had won the airfield on the island, thousands of Japanese troops remained on the island just waiting for a chance to take back Henderson field. Japanese troops attacked American positions from August 21 to 22. The enemy could not break through the defense and was driven back. After this defeat, the Japanese then sent another force against the Americans defending Henderson. The Japanese 35^th Brigade, 6,000 strong, was hurled against the defensive positions of the Americans. The ensuing battle raged on for three days from September 12^th to September 14^th. This largest of any other attack by the Japanese on Guadalcanal resulted in another defeat for the Japanese leaving them with about 1,200 dead.

After this combat on Guadalcanal, a stalemate begins to come between the US and Japanese forces. In January and February of 1943, the Japanese decide that their casualties have been too high and they evacuate the remainder of their troops, effectively ending the Battle of Guadalcanal leaving America victorious.