guadalcanal 1942

PowerPoint Presentation

World War IIPacific Theatre 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943

Guadalcanal

ChinaAustraliaUnitedStatesJapanKorea

PhilippinesPearlHarbor

WakeIsland

Guam

ShanghaiMalaya

Thailand

NorthBorneo

DutchEast Indies December 7th, 1941

Japanese Expansionthrough 1942

RabaulBougainvilleTulagiGuadalcanalSalamauaLaePortMoresbyAustralia

New BritainNewGuineaCoral SeaSolomon SeaSolomonIslandsMarshallIslands

GavutuMajor Japanese ports and air bases

Buna

650 miles

400 milesRabaul is the major base in the South Pacific. The Japanese must establish bases at Guadalcanal and Port Moresby.South Pacific Theater

Question

Port MoresbyBunaEarly May, 1942 Japanese attempt Naval invasion of Port Moresby

The Japanese were stopped at the Battle of Coral Sea

The Japanese were sticking to their plan-invade Port Moresby.

General Tomitaro Horii led 2000 troops to Kokoda then on the trail over the Owen Stanley Mountains.

Kokoda Trail

They will be slowed by 500 Australian troops throughout the heavy jungles and mountainous terrain of the Own Stanley Mountains.

QuestionSkip question

The Kokoda Trail over the Owen Stanley Mountains

While on a reconnaissance flight along the coast of Guadalcanal, the American pilot spotted the Japanese construction of an air field at Lunga Point.Japanese airfield on Guadalcanal under construction.

Since May 1942 the Japanese had been building an airfield.

TulagiFlorida IslandGuadalcanalAir fieldTulagi lacked the jungle and swamps of Guadalcanal, one of the few islands considered healthy enough for occupation.2300 troops fortified Tulagi.1400 engineers would ferry across the straits and work the air field each day.

The Allies could not allow this foothold so near Australia and within reach of the main sea route from Pearl Harbor and from the western US to Australia and New Zealand.

Guadalcanal was a hundred miles long by 50 miles at the widest, it was shrouded in a dense vegetation that thrived on the heavy rainfall from dense clouds trapped by a mountain backbone 8,000 feet high. Except where the lower slopes opened on meadows of razor-sharp Kunai grass, the tropical vegetation was so dense that little sunlight penetrated into the tangled undergrowth where white cockatoos and mynah birds screeched through the green twilight. A rich variety of tropical insect life grew bloated on the rotting vegetation that sent a heavy stench of decay drifting out across the strait to Florida Island, where the tiny islet of Tulagi nestled in its blight.John Costello, The Pacific War


TulagiFlorida IslandGuadalcanalAir fieldSavo Island

The Allies planned an operation to drive the Japanese from Guadalcanal.


TulagiFlorida IslandGuadalcanalAir fieldGuadalcanal Force:19 transports carrying two combat teams of the 1st Marine Division, 11,000 men (Adm. Kelly Turner); escorted by four destroyers while a force of three cruisers and six destroyers bombarded the enemy.Guarding the landings would be three Australian cruisers and five destroyers (RAdm. Sir Victor Crutchley).A formidable umbrella of aircover was to be provided by three of Adm. Nimitzs four carrier task forces. Operation WatchtowerAugust 7, 1942Tulagi Force:Smaller force of 3000 marines.

Amphibious Force

Carrier Force

Task Force 11USS SaratogaTF 16USS EnterpriseTF 18USS Wasp

Air attacksAir attacks

Savo IslandTulagi

CapeEsperanceJapanese Air Field

Operation Watchtower:Simultaneous landings at Tulagi and the Japanese air field on Guadalcanal

Carrier Bombers6:30am

Destroyers and cruiser fire on Tulagi

Destroyers and cruisers shell the air field

Carrier Bombers6:30am

6:12 am Bombardment begins

Savo IslandTulagi

CapeEsperanceJapanese Air Field

9 miles

21 miles

25 miles

25 milesOperation Watchtower:Simultaneous landings at Tulagi and the Japanese air field on Guadalcanal

The opposition on Tulagi fought back for a few hours before being annihilated.At the Guadalcanal air field the Japanese headed for the hills and the Marines landed unopposed.

RabaulGuadalcanalTulagiThe Marines have landed.The Japanese have fled to the hills and jungles

In less than four hours the Japanese had launched 45 bombers and zeros.

Japanese Counterattack

Guadalcanal

RabaulTulagi

Australian Coast-Watcher on Bougainville

The US carriers were given 45 minutes warning from their coast-watcher on Bougainville.

SaratogaWaspEnterpriseJungle Radio

Guadalcanal

RabaulTulagi27 Betty bombers18 Zero fighters120 GrummanF4F WildcatsThe air battle over Guadalcanal

A near complete slaughter of the Japanese force

Efate

Townsville

Rabaul

GuadalcanalThe nearest Allied air bases to Rabaul.An air base on Guadalcanal is essential for the Allies

Despite being driven off the Air Field and the failure of their counterattack, the Japanese must try to regain the air field.

Battle of Savo Island

TulagiHenderson FieldGuadalcanalSavo Island


A battle at sea analyzedAn example of the power of surprise.Astute maneuvers by the Japanese fleet.Skillful moves by the Japanese admiral.Erroneous judgments by Allied commanders.Erroneous assumptions by Allied commanders.Allies pre-war strategy of battleships trading salvos in limitless sun-lit visibility.Japanese expertise in night engagements.

Question

TulagiHenderson FieldGuadalcanalSavo Island


RAdm. Kelly Turner

Japanese strike force5 Heavy Cruisers2 Light Cruisers1 Destroyer Allied Task Force Northern Group: 3 Heavy Cruisers 2 Light Cruisers 4 Destroyers

Southern Task Force: 3 Heavy Cruisers 4 Destroyers

Savo Island

1:30 am

Adm Gunichi Mikawa leads his fleet at 1:30 am in the dark of night towards the Allied fleet defending the Guadalcanal landings.

Painting of the illumination of ships during the night battle.

Actual photo of the illuminating of the USS Astoria

Painting of night action near Savo Island

Savo Island

1:30 am

Savo Island

1:30 am

The Allies divided their forces into three patrolling squadrons.

The Allied vessels were unalert, and their commanders were in some cases either asleep or away from the actual scene of the action. The landings on Guadalcanal were continuing as the battle at sea began.

Mikawa's ships slipped unseen past the destroyer pickets at the mouth of the Sound, and soon came upon the southern group of Allied warships; two heavy cruisers (HMAS Canberra and USS Chicago) and two US destroyers. True

Savo Island

1:30 amThe very roughly animated movements of all the ships involved from 1:30am to 2:00am.All in total darkness except for ship search-lights and explosions and fires from salvos and hits.

USS Vincennes

USS QuincyUSS Astoria

HMAASCanberraUSS Jarvis

Savo Island

But..Mikawa had failed to destroy the transports, which was the object of his mission. The US Navy has just suffered its most humiliating defeat at sea.

Skilled night combat with adroit maneuvers that created surprise. Also, some luck was part of the victory.

Admiral Mikawa had won a spectacular, if flawed, victory.His decision to pit his striking force against a stronger foe backed by aircraft carriers was stunningly aggressive. R B Frank

Battle of Savo IslandLandings onGuadalcanal continue

Admiral Turner needed 48 hours to complete the off-loading on Guadalcanal. Admiral Fletcher withdrew the protection of his Carrier Force!!!!

QuestionFletchers withdrawal angered Adm. Turner who, without air cover, would be sitting-ducks for a Japanese attack.

QuestionskipskipTurner was forced to withdraw his fleet and the loaded transports- he had unloaded only half the supplies.The carriers headed for the Allied base at Efate.

Henderson Field The Marines had been ABANDONED!

Abandoned

Japan will still try to retake GuadalcanalThe Allies will complete the landing of men and supplies, complete the building of the air field, transport fighters and bombers to Henderson Field.

The Japanese will continue to land troops on Guadalcanal.

RabaulGuadalcanal

The battles at sea have continued during the months of August and September.

The Japanese wanted to retake Guadalcanal. Admiral Yamamoto wanted to draw the Allied task forces into a sea battle they were assured of winning.

Cape EsperanceTassafaronga PointPoint CruzLunga Point

Henderson FieldKoli PointTaivu Point

Tulagi Island

SavoIsland

Tenaru riverMatanikau River

With Henderson Field restocked with men and equipment, the Marines secure a small perimeter.Patrol led by colonel Frank Goettge, 1st Marine Division,

They were wiped out

33



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


First Battle of the Matanikau River, three US companies move west to find the Japanese forces

Japanese areWiped out

34



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


Frequent Japanese air raids on Henderson Field

35



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


Ichikis battalion lands at Taivu Point.

The Battle of Tenaru River1000 men march 22 miles

Army General Vandegrift, unaware of Ichikis move would wait at the perimeter. The Japanese force is defeated with the few survivors returning to Taivu Point.

36

Truk Islands

Guadalcanal

Rabaul

900 miles

850 milesYamamoto had sent a three- carrier task force from the main Japanese base in the Pacific, Truk , to Rabaul, from there to engage the American carrier forces and then retake Guadalcanal.

ZuikakuShokakuRyujo

The previous slide denoted Ichikis landing at Taivu Point and Ichikis move west to the Tenaru River where his battalion was destroyed.Admiral Yamamoto sent the Combined Fleet commanded by Admiral Nagumo to sortie from Truk to Rabaul.

Truk

Rabaul

Guadalcanal

Ichikis 1000 men had gone ahead of Nagumo, and being defeated at the Battle of Tenaru River. landing at Taivu Point.

After resupplying and refitting, Nagumo would head for Guadalcanal.

Efate

Nuomea

Guadalcanal

US # carrierTask ForceNagumos 3 carrier Task Force

Battle of Eastern Solomons Guadalcanal

Japanese Advanced Force-Kondo Main Body- Nagumo

Landing Force-Tanaka

US Task Force 61Saratoga EnterpriseWaspAugust 23-25

Guadalcanal

Battle of Eastern Solomons

Landing Force RAdm Tanaka,

Lt. Cruiser, 8 destroyers, 3 transports with troops

4 battleships, 2 aircraft carriers,Zuikaku and Shokaku.1 escort carrier, 16 cruisers, 30 destroyers.

Advanced Force-Adm Kondo27 zeros, 27 dive bombers, 18 torpedo bombers, lt. carrier Ryujo with 24 zeros, 9 torpedo bombers

US Task Force 613 carriers: Enterprise, Wasp, Saratoga,1 battleship, 7 cruisers, 18 destroyersMain Body-Adm Nagumo

176a/c177a/c

Guadalcanal

Battle of Eastern Solomons Main BodyAdm Nagumo

176a/c

Radm. TanakaAdvanced ForceAdm/ KondoRyujoShokakuZuikakuEnterpriseSaratogaWasp

2 carriers4 battleships16 cruisers30 destroyers

3 carriers7 cruisers18 destroyersQuestion

Guadalcanal

176a/c

RyujoShokakuZuikakuEnterpriseWasp

RAdm. Raizo Tanaka fools Fletcher

When Tanaka turns away from the Slot, Fletcher believes there will be no sea battle for a few days and sends the carrier Wasp back to Efate for refueling.

Wasp

Saratoga


Carriers Saratoga and EnterpriseCarrier WaspSent to Efate to refuel.

Zuikaku ShokakuRyujoRyujo sent toward Guadalcanal as a decoy and to support Tanakas landing force.

Tanaka

Tanaka makes another 180 and heads down the slot.


Enterprise Saratoga

Zuikaku ShokakuRyujo

Tanaka

Ryujo sunk

Enterprisedamaged

Enterprise planes escape to Henderson Field

Fighters hit the Ryujo

Enterprise, damaged, limps away.

Fighters hit Enterprise

Battle of Eastern Solomons

Saratoga

Zuikaku Shokaku

TanakaEnterprise

Henderson Field

Japanese search for the Saratoga inviting a night battle.They didnt find anything and retired to the north.

Tanakas landing force

Henderson Field

Admiral Tanaka1 light cruiser8 destroyers3 troop transports

Nagumo and Kondo have retreated from the Eastern Solomons.Tanaka is on his own.All available planes were launched at the Japanese landing force.

Tanakaretreats

The Japanese had an opportunity for a decisive victory and had failed to grasp it.

American carrier power in the region was diminished, but not broken.

Further, with the installation of Enterprise's aircraft at Henderson, the American airfield was a more prickly target than ever.

This established an operational precedent, as Henderson would be fed a steady stream of carrier-borne reinforcements.

Because of American airpower, the waters around Guadalcanal would continue to be a very dangerous place during the daylight hours.



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


Air Battles over Henderson Field

Throughout August US aircraft and crews continued to arrive at Guadalcanal. 1st Marine Aircraft Wing under Brig.Gen. Roy Geiger took command of operations.

Incoming Japanese air attacks were spotted by the coast watchers on Bougainville.The Japanese were slowly losing a war of attrition in the skies above Guadalcanal.Questionskip

49

Shortland Islands

Henderson Field

Japanese were forced to deliver reinforcements to the island at night using destroyers rather than larger, slower troop transports.

Dubbed the Tokyo Express by theAllies, Japanese warships would departBases in the Shortland Islands and makethe run to Guadalcanal and back in a single night.The Tokyo Express

Battle of Edsons RidgeSept.11-14 1942



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


Night landing at Taivu Point

Marine Lt.Cl. Merritt Edson

Coastwatchers inform the Marines of the landing on Taivu.Marines under LTCl Merritt Edson move-out toward Tasimboko.Tasimboko

Japanese General Kawaguchis troops control the village of Tasimboko.

Kawaguchis men are driven into the jungles and Edson destroys all Japanese supplies.

52



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland

Tenaru .Matanikau River

Further intel puts 3000 men south of Henderson Field.Edsons Marines have returned from victory at Tasimboko.Vandegrift sends them south to engage the Japanese at Lunga Ridge.

THIS is the Battle of Edsons Ridge

Night fighting.Hand to hand fighting.

Infiltration behind enemy lines.

Lines broken, companies retreat, regroup, repair perimetersJapanese suicide charges.

Wave after wave of Japanese charges.

TasimbokoEdsons Marines hold-Japanese run to the jungles.

53

RAdm Aritomo Goto:3 cruisers2 destroyers

Shell Henderson Field

RAdm Takatsugu Jojima6 destroyers2 seaplane tendersLand troops north of Henderson FieldVAdm Gunichi Mikawa plans reinforcement convoy for Guadalcanal.Adm Ghormley plans to reinforce Guadalcanal as protection for future operations in the Solomons and Santa Cruz Islands.RAdm Norman Scott: Task Force 64 4 Cruisers5 Destroyersto screen the landing of the troops.

VAdm Robert Ghormley: 164th Infantryto reinforce Henderson Field on Guadalcanal.

Battle of Cape EsperanceOctober 11/12, 1942

RennellIsland

Task Force 61

Ghormley164th Infantry landing force

Jojimas landing forceGotos force to shell Henderson Field

Fighter planes from Henderson Field

Battle of CapeEsperance

Savo IslandNorthern tip of GuadalcanalCape Esperance

Henderson Field30 miles

US Destroyer Duncan

US Cruiser San Francisco

3 Destroyers

2 Destroyers4 Heavy Cruisers23:45 fifteen minutes before midnight.SavoIslandGuadalcanal

3 Heavy Cruisers2 DestroyersRAdm. ScottsTask Fore 64RAdm. GotosHenderson Field Bombardment force

sunksunksunksunk

Radm. Jojima approaches landing area on Guadalcanal around 22:00 (10 pm).

Bombardment of Henderson Field

Shortland Island

Guadalcanal

Despite the US victory off Cape Esperance, the Japanese continued with plans and preparations for a large offensive scheduled for October.

6 cargo ships8 screening destroyers4500 troops, naval marines,2 batteries of hvy Artillery, Company of tanks.

Reinforcement Convoy

To protect the convoy Yamamoto sent a bombardment force to shell Henderson Field



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


KongoHaruna

2 Battleships1 cruiser9 destroyersShelling of Henderson FieldBombardment Force

For 1 hrs

62



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


KongoHaruna

6 cargo ships8 screeningDestroyers4500 troops, Naval marinesArtillery, tanks

64

Th


Koli PointTaivu Point

Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


Henderson Field20,000 men10,000 men

10 milesThe Battle of Henderson Field

66



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


Henderson Field20,000 men10,000 men

Gen. Harukichi Hyakutakes Plan:

Major Tadashi Sumiyoshi will lead a diversion along the coast

Lt Gen Masao Maruyama through the jungles, attack from south of Henderson Field on Oct 23.

67

11 days of cutting through the jungle, they reach the Henderson perimeter.

Artillery, cannon, and small arms fire repulsed attack after attack.Rifles, mortars, artillery, anti-tank guns

Coastal attack with tanks.Rifles, mortars, artillery, anti-tank guns

Repeated frontal attacks, mostly at night

Results:Japanese fail to break through the Henderson Field perimeter.Dead: 2,500 Japanese80 Americans

Japanese had been decimated by battle deaths, combat injuries, malnutrition, and tropical diseases.They were incapable of any further offensive action and fought as a defensive force along the coast for the rest of the campaign.

Battle ofSanta CruzOctober 25-27, 1942

TRUK

Espiritu Santo

Rabaul

Guadalcanal

2000 miles

800 miles

620 miles

650 milesYamamotos second attempt to achieve naval superiority in the area around Guadalcanal, Shokaku and Zuikaku again formed the core of Combined Fleet's carrier forces with the carrier Zuiho.

ShortlandAdvanced base

Santa Cruz Islands (Ndeni)

Espiritu Santo Islands

Efate

Guadalcanal

Tulagi

Bougainville

Rabaul

RennellIsland

Australia

While Hyakutakes troops were attacking the Henderson Field perimeter, Japanese carriers and other large warships under Yamamoto moved into psition near the Santa Cruz islands hoping to engage and decisively defeat any US carrier force.

YamamotoBull Halsey (replaced Ghormley)Carriers: Zuikaku and ShokakuCarriers: Hornet and Enterprise Part 1: exchange of carrier air attacks.

Part 2: US ships retreat.Hornet sunk!Enterprise damaged.Part 3: Japanese ships retreat.

Question

US Carrier HornetUnder attack at Battle of Santa Cruz

sinking

With the Marines successes against the continued Japanese aggression against the Henderson Field perimeter, General Vandegrift would begin to extend the perimeter.More and more troops and planes are sent to Guadalcanal.Vandegrift send out six Marine battalions, followed by an Army battalion.Commanded by Merritt Edson their goal was to capture Kokumbona, west of the Matanikau River.



Tulagi Island

SavoIsland


Henderson Field

Japanese are driven from the Matanikau River

From Point Cruz

FromKokumbona

Under Herman Hanneken, Marines drove the Japanese from Koli Point.

Under Chesty Pullar, Marines drove the Japanese from east Koli Point.

Under LtCol. Evans Carlsons Marines, a new Japanese landing at Aoba Bay, east of Taivu, is destroyed.November Land Actions

The New Henderson Field Perimeter

76

Cape TassafarongaCape EsperanceSavo IslandTulagiHenderson FieldGuadalcanalNaval Battle for Guadalcanal

November 13-15, 1942

From Rabaul 11 Large Transports with 7000 menammo, food, equipmentWill land at Koli Point and move west to Henderson Field.Japanese Plan:Once again, get more troops onto Guadalcanal Island with the aim of regaining control of Henderson Field.Koli Point

AKA3rd and 4th Battle of Savo Island

Cape TassafarongaCape EsperanceSavo IslandTulagiHenderson FieldGuadalcanalNovember 13-15, 1942Koli Point

Yamamotos Plan

Bombard Henderson Field and Land Troops on Guadalcanal

Cape TassafarongaCape EsperanceSavo IslandTulagiHenderson FieldGuadalcanalNovember 13-15, 1942Koli Point Allied PlanAdm Scott landing troops

Nov 11,

Japanese bombardment group

Landing force

Land troops and supplies atHenderson Field and Guard the landing ops witha Task ForceThese two PLANSaregoing to collide!!!

Cape TassafarongaCape EsperanceSavo IslandTulagiHenderson FieldGuadalcanalNaval Battle for GuadalcanalNovember 13, 1942

Adm Turner landing Marines and supplies.

General Hiroki AbesBombardment Force2 battleships1 cruiser11 destroyers

Task GroupsRadm Dan CallaghanRadm Norman Scott5 cruisers 8 destroyers

Important Question



General Hiroki AbesBombardment Force2 battleships1 cruiser11 destroyers

Task GroupsRadm Dan CallaghanRadm Norman Scott5 cruisers 8 destroyers

0130 hours



2 battleships1 cruiser11 destroyers

5 cruisers 8 destroyers

one cruiserone destroyersurvive

2 destroyers sunkBattleship Hiei sunk!Abes Task Force retires



The heroism of RAdm Dan Callaghan and RAdm Norman Scott, without a chance of victory against Abes battleships, saved the lives of Turners Marines and all their supplies.

Rear Admiral Dan CallaghanRear Admiral Norman Scott Medal ofHonor

The Third Naval Battle of Guadalcanal Two days after the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on the previous slides.Yamamoto will again try to dislodge the Americans from Henderson Field.Tanaka and the 11transports resumed their journey toward Guadalcanal.The Japanese 8th Fleet under Vice Admiral Kondo will bombard Henderson Field while the 11 transports will land troops near Tassafaronga Point.Admiral Bull Halsey will scrap together his only operational ships to defend: two new battleships, the USS South Dakota and the USS Washington, and 4 destroyers.QuestionSkip question

The Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal Two days after the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on the previous slides.Yamamoto will again try to dislodge the Americans from Henderson Field.Tanaka and the 11transports resumed their journey toward Guadalcanal.The Japanese 8th Fleet under Vice Admiral Kondo will bombard Henderson Field while the 11 transports will land troops near Tassafaronga Point.

Savo IslandTulagi

Guadalcanal

Halsey will also use his planes from the Enterprise and from Henderson Field.

The carrier Enterprise

Henderson FieldAdm.MikawaAdm. WillisChing LeeNear Midnight


Savo IslandTulagi

Guadalcanal



Henderson FieldAdm.MikawaAdm. WillisChing LeeThe Japanese have trained for night battle and sink the 4 American destroyers in 10 minutes!


Savo IslandTulagi

Guadalcanal



Henderson FieldAdm.MikawaAdm. WillisChing Lee

The South Dakota suffers a catastrophic electrical breakdown is helpless to defend itself.

The Japanese Fleet of Admiral Mikawa had fully illuminated the distressed USS South DakotaUSS Battleship South Dakota

USS WashingtonWhile the South Dakota was illuminated by many Japanese ships and taking many hits, Mikawa lost track of the Washington who surprised the Japanese fleet and bombarded them, saving the South Dakota and sinking the Japanese battleship Kirishima.


Savo IslandTulagi

Guadalcanal


Henderson FieldAdm.MikawaAdm. WillisChing Lee

Japanese landings at Tassafaronga PointPlanes from the carrier Enterprise and from Henderson Field attack the Japanese landings at Tassafaronga Point.

Four troop transports are sunk with only 3000 troops landed.

RabaulBougainvilleTulagiGuadalcanalLaeAustralia



SalamauaPortMoresbyBunaGuadalcanalRabaulThe SlotShortlandsA reminder of the big picture facing the JapaneseWith many failures to resupply their troops on Guadalcanal, the Japanese are desperate to get food to their troops.

QuestionSkip question

SubmarinesThey will try to supply their troops with

RabaulBougainvilleTulagiGuadalcanalLaeAustralia



SalamauaPortMoresbyBunaGuadalcanalRabaulThe SlotShortlandsA reminder of the big picture facing the JapaneseWith many failures to resupply their troops on Guadalcanal, the Japanese are desperate to get food to their troops.

SubmarinesThey will try to supply their troops with

Battle of TassafarongaCape TassafarongaCape EsperanceSavo IslandTulagiHenderson FieldGuadalcanalAka. Fourth Battle of Savo Island November 26

Yamamoto, We must supply our men or lose them to starvation!

LtCom. HitoshiImamura

RAdm. Raijo TanakaWith supplies

Replay

Next Slide

Task Force 67 RAdm. Carleton Wright

Battle of TassafarongaCape TassafarongaCape EsperanceSavo IslandTulagiHenderson FieldGuadalcanal

Task Force 67 RAdm. Carleton WrightLtCom. Hitoshi ImamuraRaijo TanakaWith supplies

RESULTSTanaka was unable to deliver the supplies to their troops on Guadalcanal.

USS MinneapolisImamura lost only one destroyer sunk and two damaged.

USS NewOrleansUS Northampton sunk, cruisers Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Pensacola suffer heavy damage and retire Tulagi for repairs.

USS Pensacola

The Battle of Tassafaronga was the worst defeat of the US Navy since Pearl Harbor and the First Battle of Savo Island.Despite the loss of ships sunk and damaged, the US Navy could consider the battle a victory as the Japanese were unable to land supplies for their troops on Guadalcanal.ANDThe Japanese cancelled any further offensives!!!

By 7th December 1942, Hyakutakes forces on Guadalcanal, Tassafaronga Point, were losing about 50 men each day from malnutrition, disease, and Allied ground or air attacks. Further attempts by Tanakas destroyer forces to deliver provisions on 3rd December, 7th December, and 11th December, failed to alleviate the crisis.At the same time, several army staff officers at the Imperial General Headquarters (IGH) also suggested that further efforts to retake Guadalcanal would be impossible.On 12 December, the Japanese Navy proposed that Guadalcanal be abandoned.

After 6 months The Guadalcanal Saga

is

OVER and so is the PowerPoint presentataion

ReturnQuestion One: What was the intent of the Japanese when they were intercepted by the American fleet at the Battle of Coral Sea?Invade Australia near Townsville.Draw the American ships into a sea battle they were assured they could win.They were headed for Port Moresby.They were just scouting the area and were completely surprised by the American ships.

ReturnQuestion: Australia is a target for the Japanese but the value of Port Moresby is more than just getting air bases within reach of Australia.Identify the other reason for getting Port Moresby.

To counter the Australian force that was stopping the Japanese move along the Kokota Trail over the Owen Stanley Mountains. To be in proximity of the main supply sea route from the western USA to New Zealand and Australia.They wanted total control of the island of New Guinea not just half.They didnt want all of Australia just the Allies air base at Townsville.

ReturnQuestion:From the list, predict who won the Battle of Savo Island?The JapaneseThe AlliesThe JapaneseA tieB or C

Question:For whom or what was Henderson Field named?Major Lofton Henderson, dive bomber pilot who lost his life at the Battle of Midway.The nearby river discovered by Sir Alistair Henderson in 1756.PFC Roland Henderson, the first Marine to die in the landing on Guadalcanal.The Henderson Mountain range over which the Australian Marines battle the natives on Guadalcanal in 1846.

Return

Return Question:Why did Adm. Fletcher withdraw his carrier protection of the Guadalcanal landings?The Japanese Fleet from the victory at the Battle of Savo Island were headed his way.He feared the loss of his carriers.He misinterpreted orders from Pearl Harbor, Adm. Nimitz, which indicated that he (Fletcher) should return to Efate after the battle which he believed to be the Battle of Savo Island, not the landing battle.Fletcher didnt want to fight.

Return

Question:

What did Adm. Turner decide to do after Fletcher withdrew his carrier protection?He continued the off-loading despite the loss of air cover.He withdrew the loading force with only half the job completed.He communicated with Adm. Nimitz in Pearl Harbor to counterman the order Fletcher believed was for him to withdraw the carriers.He ordered the air force out of Townsville in northern Australia to protect the landings at Guadalcanal.

Question 1:Japanese Zeros and the F4F Wildcats would meet in dogfights over Henderson Field.All things being equal who should win the dogfight in the air?a. Zerob. Wildcatc. Tied. Not a choiceReturn

Question 2:If the Zero is the better dogfighter and their pilots are skilled then why did they get beaten over Guadalcanal?a. After a four hour flight from Rabaul, the pilots were exhausted.b. Just luck.c. A surprise, as the Wildcats were already 1000 feet above the approaching Zeros.d. Many Zeros were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery on Henderson Field.

ReturnQuestion:If the US lost the Hornet, and the Enterprise was heavily damaged, and all their surface ships were retiring to the south, why did the Japanese withdraw?They had run out of aviation fuel for the planes.Yamamoto had lost his aggressive edge.News of Hyakutakes loss on Guadalcanal led them to the decision to withdraw.Yamamoto had lost too many experienced pilots and crew and could not afford anymore losses.

ReturnQuestion:Why do the Americans have only one battleship?a. The battleships are busy in the Pearl Harbor area.b. Adm. Nimitz was planning an attack on Rabaul and needed the battleships.c. The Americans have no battleships. They are at the bottom of the lagoon at Pearl Harbor.d. Adm Turner favored the Cruisers and destroyers for their speed.

ReturnQuestion:What are the Allied Cruisers chances against the Japanese Battleships?a. Noneb. Nonec. Noned. NoneNONE

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Question: Did you believe all our battleships were sunk or heavily damaged? You are correct.Then how did the Battleships South Dakota and Washington materialize near Guadalcanal?a. Their construction and outfitting was completed after Pearl Harbor was bombed.

b. They were both moored in San Diego, safe from the Pearl Harbor bombing.

c. They were both in the Atlantic Ocean.

d. After the Pearl Harbor attack the US Navy upgraded two heavy cruisers to battleship size.

ReturnQuestion: The Japanese have lost so many troop and supply ships trying to supply their troops on Guadalcanal that they have become desperate. What was their plan?a. Transport planes will drop supplies in.b. Try again with transports, but accompany them with an entire task force.c. Put all the supplies on destroyers.d. Use submarines.

Battle of TassafarongaCape TassafarongaCape EsperanceSavo IslandTulagiHenderson FieldGuadalcanalAka. Fourth Battle of Savo Island November 26

Yamamoto, We must supply our men or lose them to starvation!

Task Force 67 RAdm. Carleton Wright

LtCom. HitoshiImamura

Raijo TanakaWith supplies

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guadalcanal 1942

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