The Battle Of Guadalcanal

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Rachel Allen

Mrs. Bratt

English 10 Research Paper

The Battle of Guadalcanal

Our past history has changed the way we live, even today. It has changed the way our society is and how it reacts to a lot of things. The battle of Guadalcanal also changed the way we live, the way we go to war, and the way we react to war. This battle took the Americans six months to win for the Allies. It was the turning point of World War Two and it impacted the outcome of the war.

Guadalcanal was an important place to keep for the Allies because if the Japanese took it, then they would cut off the sea route to Australia, and ultimately communication with Australia. Before the Allies got to Guadalcanal they had heard that the Japanese were working on an airfield, which is now called Henderson airfield, that was being built on the island. The airfield there would help with the Japanese defense, so the Allies knew that they had to defeat them at Guadalcanal. While traveling to Guadalcanal three carriers gave air support, which were the Saratoga, Wasp, and the Enterprise. All three carriers would help defeat the Japanese in the air (Trueman, "The Battle of Guadalcanal").

This event impacted the whole world because if the Japanese ended up finishing the airfield, they possibly could’ve won the war, along with Germany and Italy. If the battle of Guadalcanal never happened we would have lost the war, and Japan, Germany, and Italy could have taken over us. Our world is different today because it was the first major offensive against Japanese held positions in the pacific (A&E Television Networks, "Americans Secure Guadalcanal"), giving us a stronghold in the war. At Guadalcanal the Japanese lost 24,000 soldiers and leaving the US forces with 58,000 soldiers. The Japanese were left with 20,000 soldiers after the battle at Guadalcanal (Second World War History, "Battle of Guadalcanal...").

If the battle of Guadalcanal never happened, the Japanese would have won taking over everything, but at Guadalcanal the US marines were backed up by the navy. By the end of it all, the Japanese were the ones who had suffered more than anyone. On August 20th, the first of thirty-one US fighter aircraft arrive at Henderson airfield, giving the US Marines even more support to defeat the Japanese. The Japanese forces that attacked the US forces at Henderson airfield and Tenaru are ultimately destroyed leaving the Japanese to abandon Guadalcanal and the rest of the Solomon Islands. The Colonel commanding those troops, Colonel Ichiki, committed ritual suicide because they got defeated (Second World War History, "Battle of Guadalcanal...").

This event is an important part of our world’s history because it was one of the many battles fought during World War Two. The battle of Guadalcanal was the naval turning point of the war. It also helped us get an offensive on Japan. By January 17th, the Japanese begin to withdraw their army units from Guadalcanal. Leaving it to the Allies, and controlled by the US military. Although by February 7th, Guadalcanal officially falls to the Americans.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Ferguson served as a command pilot with the US Army Air Forces’ 67th fighter squadron during World War Two. He wrote in his diary everyday when he was at guadalcanal. Part of him wondered if they could hold of the Japanese to secure Guadalcanal. He also talks about the quality of their aircrafts against the Japanese aircraft. He said that they were "outclassed by the quality of the Japanese aircraft". He also talks about the struggles of fighting squadron of the Japanese (Ferguson, "Guadalcanal Diary...").

This article has impacted the way the world feels about this event because it changed the way we looked at World War Two. It gives us an account of what happened and an in depth story. What I think about this story is that it changed the way I look at World War Two. If it never happened then we would’ve lost the war and anyone would have the right to take over us. We could be leading a different lifestyle. Like, the way we look at war or the things we celebrate. If Japan took over us then we could be celebrating their holidays and living like them.

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2. Brand, Max. Fighter Squadron at Guadalcanal. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute, 1996. Print.

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4. "Americans Secure Guadalcanal." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2013. Web. 03 Apr. 2013.

5. "Battle of Guadalcanal Timeline." Second World War History. SecondWorldWarHistory.com, 2006. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.

6. Trueman, Chris. "The Battle of Guadalcanal." History Learning Site. Chris Trueman, 2000. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.

7. Hornfischer, James D. "A Warrior's Destiny." A Warrior's Destiny 23.5 (2009): 30-34.MasterFILE Premier. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.

8. Ferguson, Robert L. "Guadalcanal Diary: November 11, 1942." Air Power History 47.4 (2000): 47. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.