The Battle of Guadalcanal was a very important battle for the U.S. Located in the Solomon Islands around Australia made it crucial that we
control the islands to prevent an invasion on Australia. The attack on Guadalcanal was set to take place on August 7th, the 1st US marines
would secure the beach to allow the other forces to land safely. The US forces expected a major Japanese defense but found nothing giving
them time to get all their supplies on land a start their march inland toward the Japanese airfield. The soldiers weren't prepared for the intense
heat and humidity in the jungle of the island making it very hard to march. All was quiet at the airfield as well until the night of the 8th
when Japanese forces started to attack the marines who were now on their own because the carriers were forced to with drawl from a Japanese
fleet. On August 18th a regiment of Japanese soldier landed on Guadalcanal and thought "they were more than a match for the US marines."
They planned to attack the marines on the 21st and take over the island with only a simple bayonet charge. But the carefully placed marine
machine guns forced the Japanese to retreat and we surrounded them on the coast. This is where we found out just how willing to die for the
emperor that they really were. The US forces killed many of them only a few escaped to the jungle and the general committed the ritual suicide.
pictures and info from http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/battle_of_guadalcanal.htm
