Guadalcanal Operation - Guadalcanal Operation

Japanese: ガダルカナル作戦 - ガダルカナルさくせん

This was an operation in the Pacific War in which both Japan and the United States committed the greatest land and naval forces available at the time. It was significant in that the Japanese military's offensive in the early stages of the war was forced into a defensive position as a result of this operation. It took place from August 7, 1942 to February 7 the following year. Guadalcanal is located at the southern tip of the Solomon Islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, 5,000 km from the Japanese mainland. Initially, the Japanese Navy, with a small force, built an airstrip to cut off the lines of communication between the United States and Australia. As the first step in retaking Rabaul, the US military sent a marine division into a surprise landing and seized the airfield.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

太平洋戦争で日米双方とも当時として最大限の陸海戦力を投入した作戦。戦争初期の日本軍の攻勢が，この作戦の結果，防勢に追い込まれたという大きな意味をもつ。1942年8月7日から翌年2月7日まで行われた。ガダルカナル島は日本本土から5000km離れた南西太平洋ソロモン諸島の南端にある。最初日本海軍が小部隊でアメリカとオーストラリアの連絡線を遮断するため，まず滑走路を作った。アメリカ軍はラバウルを奪回するための第一歩として，海兵1個師団を奇襲上陸させて飛行場を奪取した。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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