Battle of Guadalcanal
1942 CE · Solomon Islands
The Battle of Guadalcanal was fought in 1942 CE in Solomon Islands between United States and allies vs the Empire of Japan; decisive Allied victory; the first major Allied land offensive against Japan.
Battle of Guadalcanal: quick facts
- Date
- 1942 CE
- Location
- Solomon Islands
- Belligerents
- United States and allies vs the Empire of Japan
- Commanders
- Alexander Vandegrift and William Halsey vs Harukichi Hyakutake and Isoroku Yamamoto
- Result
- decisive Allied victory; the first major Allied land offensive against Japan.
- Era
- 🪖 World Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- medium
What happened at the Battle of Guadalcanal?
The six-month campaign for Guadalcanal was the first major Allied offensive in the Pacific, fought in brutal jungle conditions. US Marines seized the critical Henderson Field airstrip, then defended it against relentless Japanese counterattacks by land, sea, and air. The campaign cost Japan irreplaceable ships, aircraft, and veteran troops, and proved that Allied forces could take and hold ground against determined Japanese defenders.
Did you know?
The waters around Guadalcanal saw so many naval engagements that the strait between the islands was nicknamed 'Ironbottom Sound' for the dozens of warships resting on the ocean floor.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Guadalcanal on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.