Why The United States Won The Battle Of Guadalcanal?
Offensive
Mass
Maneuver
Unity of command
Surprise
What led to Guadalcanal
From the start, Japan took the offensive against the United States in World War II. Beginning with the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. was playing a completely defensive role as they tried to prevent the Japanese from overtaking the Pacific. Looking at the Principles of War, the offensive stance is critical to waging an effective campaign, and it showed. The United States was had made little progress against the Japanese forces in almost a year until the battle at Midway. Winning the battle for that tiny island shifted the momentum in the Pacific from the Japanese all the way back to the United States, and the U.S. took advantage of it. Throughout the campaign, however, …show more content…
and its allies had two choice in how to approach the Pacific: straight towards Japan from Midway, or through the Solomon Islands and Philippines just north of Australia. They looked south, and the next target became the island of Guadalcanal. Guadalcanal had been a contested target of immense strategic value to both sides since the beginning of the war. Initially a British protectorate, “the Japanese seized the British possession in the spring of 1942 and began construction of an airfield on its north shore…to solidify their hold on the lower Solomon Islands and for further expansion towards …show more content…
By mid-November, the Japanese were desperate to get reinforcements and supplies to the starving, outnumbered soldiers on the island. The Allies had intercepted the Japanese communications planning the resupply mission, and sent an equally large force to engage them. On the 13 of November, the two forces met. The Japanese force, commanded by Vice Admiral Hiroaki Abe, consisted of the battleships, Hiei and Kirishima as well as a light cruiser and 11 destroyers. The Allied forces under Rear Admirals Daniel Callaghan and Norman Scott contained two heavy cruisers, three light cruisers, and eight
Mass
Maneuver
Unity of command
Surprise
What led to Guadalcanal
From the start, Japan took the offensive against the United States in World War II. Beginning with the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. was playing a completely defensive role as they tried to prevent the Japanese from overtaking the Pacific. Looking at the Principles of War, the offensive stance is critical to waging an effective campaign, and it showed. The United States was had made little progress against the Japanese forces in almost a year until the battle at Midway. Winning the battle for that tiny island shifted the momentum in the Pacific from the Japanese all the way back to the United States, and the U.S. took advantage of it. Throughout the campaign, however, …show more content…
and its allies had two choice in how to approach the Pacific: straight towards Japan from Midway, or through the Solomon Islands and Philippines just north of Australia. They looked south, and the next target became the island of Guadalcanal. Guadalcanal had been a contested target of immense strategic value to both sides since the beginning of the war. Initially a British protectorate, “the Japanese seized the British possession in the spring of 1942 and began construction of an airfield on its north shore…to solidify their hold on the lower Solomon Islands and for further expansion towards …show more content…
By mid-November, the Japanese were desperate to get reinforcements and supplies to the starving, outnumbered soldiers on the island. The Allies had intercepted the Japanese communications planning the resupply mission, and sent an equally large force to engage them. On the 13 of November, the two forces met. The Japanese force, commanded by Vice Admiral Hiroaki Abe, consisted of the battleships, Hiei and Kirishima as well as a light cruiser and 11 destroyers. The Allied forces under Rear Admirals Daniel Callaghan and Norman Scott contained two heavy cruisers, three light cruisers, and eight