During the The Southern Operation, Japanese forces landed on New Britian.The largest town on that island, Rabual, was developed into a large and very important naval base in the South Pacific.In May of 1942, the island of Tulagi was captured and made into a seaplane base.Also during that month, a very important naval battle took place.The Battle of the Coral Sea.This battle shown that the Japanese navy could be defeat by naval air power.In June, the Battle of Midway took place, in which the American carriers ripped the heart out of the Japanese carrier forces.After that battle, the American high command decided that it's time to counterattack the Japanese.While the Americans were planning, they found out a very disturbing fact.The Japanese were building an airfield at Lunga Point on Guadalcanal.If this airfield was completed, the Japanese would effectively cut the Allied line of communication between Australia and the U.S.It also meant that the Japanese would have a stepping-stone to attack Espirito Santo and points south towards New Zealand.If this were to happen, the Allies would have lost the war in the South Pacific.So, General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz decided that Guadalcanal was to be their target.So, in July of 1942, the 1st Marines, under the command of General Alexander Vandegrift, and the American 3rd Fleet began massing off the coast of Guadalcanal and Tulagi, preparing to attack.Operation Watchtower was now in full swing.On August 7th, the 1st Marines went ashore, only to encounter a small Japanese engineering squad at the airfield.Then on August 21st, the Japanese attacked the 1st Marines at Tenaru River, in an attempt to shrink the Marine's perimeter.The Japanese were decimated.After this battle, Japanese commander started the "Tokyo Express", a nightly run of supplies to troops on Guadalcanal.On September 12-13, the Japanese attacked again at Edson's Ridge, in another attempt to shrink the Marines perimeter.It almost worked! They were stopped just short of the airfield.On September 18th, the 1st Marines were reinforced with the 7th Marine Regiment at Lunga Point.Also, the Marines renamed the field to Henderson Field, after a solider that lost his life at Midway.
During the period of late-September and early October, a lull in the fighting took place.The Japanese were perparing another assualt on Henderson Field.On October 11th, the Japanese 2nd Division attacked in the southern perimeter of Lunga Point, which in turn was destroyed by the courageous actions of Lt. Colonel Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller and his 1st Battlion, 7th Marines.In late-October, the Japanese Navy stepped up the "Tokyo Express".The Japanese commanders wanted enough troops to launch a massive offensive at the Marines.In early December, relief is given to the 1st Marines to stablize their lines of communication and supply.XIV Corps takes command of all American forces on Guadacanal.Thus, an expansion of the Lunga Perimeter begins.All-the-while the Japanese headquarters in Rabual reevaluate the situation on Guadalcanal and decides to abandon Guadalcanal.Fresh Japanese troops are brought in through the "Tokyo Express" to cover the evacuation.XIV Corps were being slowed by spirited Japanese resistance.On January 31st, 1943, the evacuation begins.This evcuation is complete by Febuary 7th, with most of the remaining Japanese troop either killed or captured.On Febuary 9th, XVI Corps announces that Guadalcanal is secure.
