7th August 1942

[antarmike]

U.S. troops land on Guadalcanal and successfully take over the airfield, which the Japanese were building in the hope of isolating Australia. Despite the successful landing on the island, the Americans could not acheive supremacy at sea, and Japanese forces later re-infiltrated Guadalcanal and waged a bloody jungle battle that left thousands dead. The Japanese finally withdrew in February 1943.