Turning Points in the War

Battle of Guadalcanal

Battle of Guadalcanal

August 1942 - Feb 1943

Solomon Islands – south island of Guadalcanal

Japanese forces had secured most of the Asia-Pacific region.

They begin to take over the northern islands in the Solomon Islands from March 30.

Battle of Guadalcanal

In August, Japan sends labourers and construction workers to Guadalcanal to build a new, large airstrip and defensive positions on the island.

This instigates a fierce naval battle between the US and Japanese.

Battle of Guadalcanal

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Battle of Guadalcanal – Key Points from the Clip During the first six months of war in the Pacific, the Japanese conquered hundreds of thousands of

miles of territory in eastern Asia and Oceania. To the Japanese, Guadalcanal was a most desirable piece of land. Using that island as a base, they might well succeed in severing the lifeline between the US and Australia. The US decided to launch an offensive attack to stop the aggressor’s plans.

The Japanese were “dumbfounded” that the US had taken such an offensive action so early on in the war.

None of this had been tried before: getting thousands of marines from the US to the South Pacific, an amphibious* landing.

The Japanese that were there were labour battalions. Guadalcanal is so close to Raboul, so the Japanese build up is quick and significant. They could

quickly provide troops and supplies. August 8 – a fierce naval battle begins. Troops on the island can see large explosions. The US Navy had left; the Japanese delivered their troops and supplies; they had control of the

seas and they could equip their men, but the US couldn’t. The Japanese bombed the American forces daily on Guadalcanal. Enemy soldiers, adept at jungle fighting, were difficult targets for marine riflemen. The Japanese commander thought the US was a small outpost; we decimated them. At Alligator Creek, the whole tenor of how the Pacific War was going to be fought, was set. The

battle established 2 things: 1) that the average Japanese soldier was not going to surrender and 2) any Japanese soldier that they thought was going to surrender, was actually trying to kill more Americans any way they could.

The Japanese begin to push more and more men and materials into Guadalcanal to push the US off the island.

The Japanese came at the US in short, quick rushes on the night of Oct 24-25. This went on from 1am til dawn.But they were disorganised and easy targets for the US machine guns.

Guadalcanal implanted something in their minds: that this was going to be a very long war. More than 3000 Americans had died on the island. Their sacrifice stopped the enemy’s sweep of aggression. Losing that battle would have been a calamitous blow to the Americans. “What really set the path for all the American armed forces during WWII were the events at

Guadalcanal. It proved the axis powers were mortal and could be defeated even under conditions of extraordinary adversity.

Guadalcanal was the microcosm – the story of all of the Pacific – long, messy, slugging it out, misery, filled with horror.

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Battle of the Coral Sea & Battle of Midway

Question:

Explain how the Battle of Guadalcanal, Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway were turning points in the war.