What happened in the Battle of Guadalcanal?
The American invasion of Guadalcanal occurred on August 7, 1942, and it was the first American offensive operation of World War II. They captured the airfield (Henderson Field) and, after six months of some of the most ferocious battles of the Pacific War, pushed the Japanese off the island. Capturing the island allowed the Americans to use it as the launching point for the South Pacific campaigns to follow. Many historic naval battles were fought in the surrounding waters. They were the Battle of Savo Island, the Battle of Cape Esperance, Battle of Tassafaronga, Battle of the Eastern Solomons, Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, the two nights of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, and the Battle of the Rennell Islands.
