The Battle of Guadalcanal was a battle between US and Japanese forces to control the island of Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands from August 7, 1942 to February 9, 1943 in World War II. The battle was the first Allied offensive against Japan since the start of the Pacific war.
On August 7, the Allies landed in Guadalcanal, Tulag and Florida on the Solomon Islands to block the use of the area by the Japanese and protect service and communications links between the United States, Australia and New Zealand. At the same time, the Allies were to create a support zone to continue the attack to paralyze Rabaul, Japan's most important base. Overwhelming landing forces captured Tulag and Florida, as well as a Guadalcanal air base under preparation, called Henderson Field. The US Navy supported the attack.
Surprised by the Allied invasion, the Japanese sought to recapture the airport from August to November, resulting in three land battles and seven sea battles, five of which took place at night and two between aircraft carrier units. In addition, there were ongoing almost daily air battles, culminating in the Guadalcanal Sea Battle in early November as the Japanese sought to take back the airport with the support of a powerful navy and air force. The attack was stopped and in December the Japanese stopped the attacks by evacuating their troops from the island on February 7, 1943.
The battle for Guadalcanal was a significant strategic victory for the Allied forces over the Japanese in the Pacific. The Japanese conquests had reached their greatest extent in the Pacific, and Guadalcanal was the turning point where the Allies switched from defensive operations to strategic offenses - including the Solomon Islands campaign, the New Guinea campaign and the Central Pacific campaigns that led to Japan's final defeat during WW2.
