[17], The Allied plan to invade the southern Solomons was conceived by U.S. Admiral Ernest King, Commander in Chief, United States Fleet. Wars &

[31] A Japanese patrol aircraft from Tulagi had searched the general area the Allied invasion fleet was moving through, but missed seeing the Allied ships due to severe storms and heavy clouds. After briefly occupying the two villages, the three Marine companies returned to the Lunga perimeter, having killed about 65 Japanese soldiers while losing four marines. Meanwhile, the Japanese 2nd and 38th Infantry Divisions were transported from the Dutch East Indies to Rabaul beginning on 13 September.
Dean 2013, p. 236; Keogh 1965, p. 249; James 2012, p. 213. [49], Allied troops encountered a severe strain of dysentery soon after the landings, with one in five Marines afflicted by mid-August. [21][22] As a result, and in order to preserve the unity of command, the boundary between MacArthur's Southwest Pacific area and Nimitz's Pacific Ocean area was shifted 60 miles (97 km) to 360 miles (580 km) to the west effective 1 August 1942. Based on the page Guadalcanal. This section pertains to the initial landings on August 7, 1942, and maps related to the Guadalcanal Campaign. Poets, Writers & 269–274; Zimmerman, pp. To counter this new threat, Vandegrift temporarily halted the Matanikau offensive on 4 November. Wars & [79], On 7 September, Kawaguchi issued his attack plan to "rout and annihilate the enemy in the vicinity of the Guadalcanal Island airfield". The constant pressure to reinforce Guadalcanal had weakened Japanese efforts in other theaters, contributing to a successful Australian and American counteroffensive in New Guinea which culminated in the capture of the key bases of Buna and Gona in early 1943. For the U.S., this need prompted the development of effective combat air transport for the first time. Up to this point, the Allies had been on the defensive in the Pacific but these strategic victories provided them an opportunity to take the initiative from Japan.[13]. The term "rat transportation" was used because, like a rat, the Japanese ships were active only at night. North Africa 1942-1945, Map of the Battle of Stalingrad July 17, Revolutions A Revolutions F - G EUROPE The Japanese aircraft assigned to Guadalcanal were to come from the 26th Air Flotilla, then located at bases in the Central Pacific (Bullard, p. 127). As many as three-quarters of the deaths were from non-combat causes such as starvation and various tropical diseases. People in History N - Q 141–143. Australian coastwatchers on Bougainville and New Georgia islands were often able to provide the Allied forces on Guadalcanal with advance notice of inbound Japanese air strikes, allowing the U.S. fighters time to take off and position themselves to attack the Japanese bombers and fighters as they approached the island. 367–368; Frank, pp. Leading elements of the 2nd Division reached the 17th Army headquarters area at Kokumbona, west of the Matanikau on 4 November.

August Map – Battle of Guadalcanal Posted on 11th August 2017 by Epic Militaria As part of our 12-part series of WW2 battle maps, this month we’re looking at one of the most significant battles of the war – Guadalcanal.

Sitemap 03    In addition, this activity tied up destroyers the IJN desperately needed to escort their convoys.

Tokyo Express no longer has terminus on Guadalcanal. Zimmerman, pp. At the same time, Wright's cruisers opened fire, quickly hitting and destroying one of the Japanese guard destroyers.


540–560; Morison. [143], At 22:40 on 30 November, Tanaka's force arrived off Guadalcanal and prepared to unload the supply barrels. He also provided a warship support force that included two battleships. After dark, Tanaka and the remaining four transports continued towards Guadalcanal as Kondo's force approached to bombard Henderson Field. [97], In the second action between 6 and 9 October a larger force of Marines successfully crossed the Matanikau River, attacked newly landed Japanese forces from the 2nd Infantry Division under the command of generals Masao Maruyama and Yumio Nasu, and inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese 4th Infantry Regiment.

Losses include 24,600–25,600 dead (ground), 3,543 dead (naval), and 2,300 dead (aircrew). 290–291.

As a result, by 08:00 on 26 October, Hyakutake called off any further attacks and ordered his forces to retreat.

Most of the survivors from Shōji's force joined other Japanese units defending the Mount Austen and upper Matanikau River area. [14] Tiny Tulagi had a large natural harbor perfect for a float-plane base and small Florida had to be taken as it dominated Tulagi.

AMERICA MAPS: E - N [68][69], During this time, Vandegrift continued to direct efforts to strengthen and improve the defenses of the Lunga perimeter. The Americans counted the bodies of 450–475 Japanese dead in the Koli Point area and captured most of Shōji's heavy weapons and provisions. People in History R - Z [42] As a result of the loss of carrier-based air cover, Turner decided to withdraw his ships from Guadalcanal, even though less than half of the supplies and heavy equipment needed by the troops ashore had been unloaded.

[151], The Allies renewed the offensive on 10 January, reattacking the Japanese on Mount Austen as well as on two nearby ridges called the Seahorse and the Galloping Horse. 497–499.

Numbers include personnel killed by all causes including combat, disease, and accidents. ... Guadalcanal, Battle of the Tenaru River, 20-21 August 1942. WORLD MAPS 224, 251–254, 266; Jersey, pp. AMERICA



Several other warships were damaged including Tanaka's own Jintsū.



Frank, pp. (Miller, p. EUROPE MAPS: J - N Japan's major base at Rabaul was now further directly threatened by Allied air power. [73], Small Allied naval convoys arrived at Guadalcanal on 23 August, 29 August, 1 September, and 8 September to provide the Marines at Lunga with more food, ammunition, aircraft fuel, aircraft technicians, and other supplies. ", Griffith, p. 113; Frank, pp. Griffith, pp. WWII Timelines, People in Thus, as the campaign wore on the Japanese were losing irreplaceable units while the Americans were rapidly replacing and even augmenting their forces. Sitemap 04   Kondo's force consisted of the Kirishima plus two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and nine destroyers. [107], The Japanese convoy reached Tassafaronga on Guadalcanal at midnight on 14 October and began unloading.

The 500 Japanese involved were from the 84th Guard Unit, 11th and 13th Construction Units, and the recently arrived 1st Camp Relief Unit. [59] A Japanese transport was sunk.