BATTLE OF GUADALCANAL IN WORLD WAR II

The Battle of Guadalcanal was a major conflict in the Pacific Theater of World War II and was fought between the forces of Japan and the United States on the island of Guadalcanal, which is a small island in the South Pacific just north of Australia.  The battle took place from August 7th, 1942 to February 9th, 1943.  The battle was notable for the fierce fighting that occurred on the island and the importance of the airfield that the Japanese built on the island.  The United States hoped to take control over the island and use the airfield to carry out air operations in the region.

The battle began when the American forces surprise attacked the Japanese defenders as they were building the airfield on the island.  Several major land, air and naval conflicts took place after the Americans captured the airfield, and the Japanese forces attempted to recapture the airfield.  The fighting was fierce and bloody, but ultimately the United States prevailed and carried out a victory on the island.  For example, Japan lost nearly 20,000 soldiers on the island while the United States suffered just over 7,000 dead. 
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In the end, the battle was important because it was a major victory for the United States and allowed the United States to begin the process of leapfrogging throughout the South Pacific as they pushed the Japanese forces back to their homeland islands. 

Battle of Guadalcanal

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