Battlefield Guadalcanal (You Tube)

The clips start with a brief history of Japanese military advances, then talks about the Battle of Midway.

Intelligence found out that the Japanese were building an airstrip on Guadalcanal. If that became operational, the Japanese could make shipping supplies to Australia very difficult for the allies, and that could eventually lead to Japan taking Australia.

Operation Watchtower was the name of the plan for the U.S. attack on Guadalcanal. Not much was known about the island itself, and there were few maps of any value. The men who would attack the island were also basically green, with virtually no combat experience.

There was a practice exercise held and almost nothing went right.

Ghormley was the leader, and Fletcher was under him. The section goes into the other leaders.

Mikawa was leading the Japanese naval operations section. One of the Japanese commanders was sure that the Japanese soldiers were far superior to the American soldiers.

The Americans knew that carriers and their planes would be an important factor in the battle.

This dive bomber was considered to be extremely good.

An important American fighter plane used in the battle.

This plane was used for ground attacks.

A ship used to get Marines and/or cargo to the beaches.

A tank suitable for Guadalcanal-type ground action.

This device could go through the water and then drive right up on the beach.

A very useful piece of artillery.

An anti-tank gun that was used. It was mainly used against tanks, but it could be used against troops, turning it into a major shotgun.

An American gun.

A Japanese gun, ideal for sniper use.

Japanese artillery piece.

The Japanese Zero was one of the most famous planes of the entire war.

A Japanese bomber that, later in the war, was used to launch the oka or 'baka bomb' rocket-propelled kamikaze craft.

Even though it was a medium-level tank, it wasn't as good as the lighter American tanks.

This gun proved useless against American armored vehicles.

A Japanese machine gun.

The swords could prove deadly. These were carried by officers.

The landing was not very coordinated.

The location of Henderson Field, which became the scene of some very bloody fighting.

The Japanese surprised the Americans at the Battle of Savo Island. This gave the first naval battle of the fight to the Japanese. Then the Americans withdrew their carriers and a lot of other ships, men and supplies were also withdrawn.

The Japanese were given the orders to retake the islands, and the Tokyo Express got underway. The Marines, meanwhile, had been basically left high and dry by the withdrawal of the American ships.

Japanese reinforcements were brought in. Ichiki's group tried direct frontal assaults on the Americans, and that didn't work. Part of this was the fight at the Tamaru. Ichiki died or committed suicide, and lots of Japanese troops were killed, 800 of the original 900 attackers dying.

Tasimbako was taken by the Americans, but a larger Japanese group had already headed south, planning an attack on Henderson Field. The Japanese made a dozen charges against the Americans, but were held off.

The Japanese were able to bring in even more reinforcements for another attack on Henderson Field. The attack from the West came under fire from American ships and planes, and in a matter of hours it was stopped. The Japanese were supposed to attack at the same time from the south, but they hadn't gotten into position yet. When they did, they were also defeated.

The Japanese ended up withdrawing the rest of their forces from the island, and it fell into American hands.



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