Henderson Field (Guadalcanal)Henderson Field is a former military airfield on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, during World War II. Originally built by the Japanese Empire, the conflict over its possession was one of the notable battles of the Pacific War. Today it is Honiara International Airport.
Guadalcanal campaignU.S. military campaign in World War IIBelligerentsUnited StatesAustraliaUnited Kingdom • Solomon Islands • Fiji • Tonga New Zealand JapanCommanders and leadersU.S. Navy:Chester W. NimitzRobert L. GhormleyWilliam F. Halsey Jr.Richmond K. TurnerFrank J. FletcherU.S. Marine Corps:Alexander A. VandegriftU.S. Army:Alexander M. PatchImperial Japanese Navy: Isoroku YamamotoChūichi NagumoNobutake KondōNishizō TsukaharaJinichi KusakaImperial Japanese Army:Hitoshi ImamuraHarukichi HyakutakeUnits involvedSee order of battleSee order of battleStrength 60,000+ men (ground forces) 36,200 men (ground forces)Casualties and losses 7,100 killed7,789+ wounded4 captured29 ships lost including 2 fleet carriers, 6 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers and 17 destroyers.615 aircraft lostArmy: 19,200 dead, of whom 8,500 were killed in combat 1,000 captured38 ships lost including 1 light carrier, 2 battleships, 3 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser and 11 destroyers.683 aircraft lost 10,652 evacuated The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by the United States, was an Allied offensive against forces of the Empire of Japan in the Solomon Islands during the Pacific Theater of World War II.
GuadalcanalGuadalcanal (; indigenous name: Isatabu) is the principal island in the Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the nation of Solomon Islands by area and the second largest by population, followed by Malaita. It is the second largest island in the Solomon Islands archipelago by area after Bougainville.
Isoroku YamamotoIsoroku Yamamoto (山本 五十六, Yamamoto Isoroku; April 4, 1884 – April 18, 1943) was an admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and the commander of the Combined Fleet during World War II. He commanded the fleet from 1939 until his death in 1943, overseeing the start of the Pacific War in 1941 and Japan's initial successes and defeats before his plane was shot down by U.S. fighter aircraft over New Guinea.
Hitoshi ImamuraHitoshi Imamura (今村 均, Imamura Hitoshi; 28 June 1886 – 4 October 1968) was a Japanese general who served in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, and was subsequently convicted of war crimes. Finding his punishment to be too light, Imamura built a replica of his prison in his garden and confined himself there until his death. Early careerA native of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Imamura's father was a judge.
Imperial Japanese NavyNavy of Japan between 1868 and 1945Military unitThe Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender in World War II. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was formed between 1952 and 1954 after the dissolution of the IJN. The IJN was the third largest navy in the world by 1920, behind the Royal Navy and the United States Navy (USN).
Imperial Japanese ArmyThe Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan's rapid modernization during the Meiji period, fought in numerous conflicts including the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, World War I, the Second Sino-Japanese War, and World War II, and became a dominant force in Japanese politics.
Allies of World War IIThe Allies, or Allied powers, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during World War II (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers. Its principal members were the "Big Four"—the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and China. Membership in the Allies varied during the course of the war.
Emperor of JapanTitle of the ruling monarch of Japan since 660 BCThe Emperor of Japan is the and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power". The Imperial Household Law governs the line of imperial succession.
World War IIGlobal conflict from 1939 to 1945BelligerentsAlliesAxisCommanders and leadersMain Allied leaders: Joseph StalinFranklin D. RooseveltWinston ChurchillChiang Kai-shekMain Axis leaders: Adolf HitlerHirohitoBenito MussoliniCasualties and losses 60–75 million deaths (military and civilian) World War II, or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945), was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers.
Imperial General HeadquartersThe Imperial General Headquarters (大本営, Daihon'ei) was part of the Supreme War Council and was established in 1893 to coordinate efforts between the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy during wartime. In terms of function, it was approximately equivalent to the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff and the British Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Empire of JapanJapanese nation state from 1868 to 194756.0 million lived in the naichi.73.1 million lived in the naichi.Japanese nameShinjitai大日本帝国Kyūjitai大日本帝國HiraganaだいにっぽんていこくだいにほんていこくKatakanaダイニッポンテイコクダイニホンテイコクLiteral meaningEmpire of Great Japan*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.