The Guadalcanal campaign was the first major Allied offensive against Japan in the Pacific War. It began when United States Marines landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands to seize an airfield that the Japanese were building, later named Henderson Field. Over about six months there were fierce battles on land, at sea and in the air, including the naval defeat at Savo Island, the carrier battles of the Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz, and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Both sides lost many ships, aircraft and men, and disease and hunger afflicted the troops. Japan evacuated the island in early February 1943. The campaign is regarded as a turning point after which Japan was mostly on the defensive.
Before and after
- from 1 July 1942 to 27 July 1942First Battle of El Alamein
- 13 July 1942Birth of Harrison Ford
- 23 July 1942Construction of Treblinka extermination camp
- 2 August 1942Birth of Isabel Allende
- from 7 August 1942 to 9 February 1943Guadalcanal campaign
- 14 August 1942Release of Bambi
- 19 August 1942Dieppe Raid
- from 23 August 1942 to 2 February 1943Battle of Stalingrad
- from 26 August 1942 to 13 September 1945Japanese occupation of Nauru
More in Wars, politics & history
- from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916Gallipoli Campaign
- 4 June 1917Pulitzer Prize
- 24 July 1923Treaty of Lausanne
- 30 September 1938Munich agreement
- from 7 December 1941 to 2 September 1945Pacific War
- from 6 June 1944 to 29 August 1944Normandy landings
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.