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Guadalcanal Campaign
The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by the United States, was an Allies of World War II, Allied offensive against forces of the Empire of Japan in the Solomon Islands during the Pacific War, Pacific Theater of World War II. It was fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943, and involved major land and naval battles on and surrounding the island of Guadalcanal. It was the first major Allied land offensive against Japan during the war. In summer 1942, the Allies decided to mount major offensives in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with the objectives of defending sea lines to Australia and eventually attacking the major Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain. The Guadalcanal operation was under the command of Robert L. Ghormley, reporting to Chester W. Nimitz, while the Japanese defense consisted of the Combined Fleet under Isoroku Yamamoto and the Seventeenth Army (Japan), Seventeenth Army under Harukichi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Solomon Islands Campaign
The Solomon Islands campaign was a major military campaign, campaign of the Pacific War during World War II. The campaign began with the Empire of Japan, Japanese seizure of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville Island, Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, during the first six months of 1942. Japanese troops subsequently began the construction of several naval and air bases in the area. Japan's initial goals were to protect the flank of their ongoing offensive in New Guinea, establish a security barrier for the major Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain, and construct bases from which they could interdict supply lines between the Allies of World War II, Allied powers of the United States and Australia and Dominion of New Zealand, New Zealand. In order to defend their communication and supply lines in the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific, the Allies initiated a counteroffensive in New Guinea and counterattacked Japanese forces in the Solomons via lan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexander Patch
Alexander McCarrell Patch (23 November 1889 – 21 November 1945) was a senior United States Army Officer (armed forces), officer who fought in World war, both world wars, rising to rank of General (United States), general. During World War II, he commanded U.S. Army and United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps forces during the Guadalcanal Campaign in the Pacific War, Pacific, and the Seventh United States Army, Seventh Army on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front in European theatre of World War II, Europe. With an invasion of Japan still an apparent likelihood, Patch returned to the U.S. in August 1945 to take charge of the Fourth United States Army, Fourth Army headquartered at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He died three months later in November 1945 at age 55, his health having been ravaged during his time in the Pacific early in the war. "Sandy" Patch and Lucian Truscott were the only two U.S. Army officers on active service during World War II to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") 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. Initially formed from domain armies after the Meiji Restoration, it evolved into a powerful modern military influenced by French and German models. The IJA was responsible for several overseas military campaigns, including the invasion of Manchuria, involvement in the Boxer Rebellion, and fighting across the Asia-Pacific during the Pacific War. Notorious for committing widespread Japanese war crimes, war crimes, the army was dissolved after Japan's surrender in 1945, and its functions were succeeded by the Japan Ground Self-D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Guadalcanal Order Of Battle
This is the order of battle for the Guadalcanal Campaign, called Operation ''Watchtower'', the first major World War II Allies, Allied offensive in the Pacific War, Pacific Theater of Operations in World War II. The campaign lasted from the initial American landings on 7 August 1942 until the final Japanese evacuation on 9 February 1943, a period of six months, far longer than was expected by Allied planners. The 7 August landings on Guadalcanal itself and Tulagi across Ironbottom Sound, Savo Sound (the site of a Japanese seaplane base) were carried out by United States Marine Corps#World War II, US Marines under the command of Major General Alexander A. Vandegrift. These were followed by units of the Naval Construction Battalions, known as CB's or Seabees. Forces of the List_of_United_States_Army_campaigns_during_World_War_II#Asiatic-Pacific Theater, US Army began arriving to relieve the exhausted Marines on 13 October. On 8 December Vandegrift was replaced by Major General ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harukichi Hyakutake
was a general in the Japanese Imperial Army in World War II. He is sometimes referred to as Haruyoshi Hyakutake or Seikichi Hyakutake. His elder brothers Saburō Hyakutake and Gengo Hyakutake were admirals in the Imperial Japanese Navy. Biography Early career Born in Saga prefecture, Hyakutake graduated as an infantry officer from the 21st class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1909. Noted generals Kanji Ishiwara and Jo Iimura were among his classmates, as was future Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek. He attended the 33rd class of the Army Staff College in 1921, where he studied cryptanalysis, and was assigned to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff after graduation. From 1925 to 1927, as a lieutenant colonel, Hyakutake served as the Japanese Resident Officer in Poland. In 1928 he was assigned to the Headquarters of the Kwantung Army in China. As a colonel he worked at the Army's signal school in 1932 then as a section chief in the General Staff until 1935. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hitoshi Imamura
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 career A native of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Imamura's father was a judge. Imamura graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1907 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry on 26 December 1907. He was promoted to lieutenant in November 1910 and attended the Army War College in 1915. He was promoted to captain in 1917 and was sent to England as a military attaché the following year. He was promoted to major in August 1922 and to lieutenant-colonel in August 1926. In April 1927, he was appointed as a military attaché to British India. Promoted to colonel on 1 August 1930, he held staff positions in the operations section of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff from 1931 to 1932. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Raizō Tanaka
was a rear admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during most of World War II. A specialist in the heavy torpedoes that were carried by all the destroyers and cruisers of the IJN, Tanaka mainly commanded destroyer squadrons, with a cruiser or two attached, and he was the primary leader of the "Tokyo Express" reinforcement and resupply shipments during the long campaign for the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands of the South Pacific Ocean. From the Americans, Tanaka acquired the nickname of "Tenacious Tanaka" for his stalwart opposition. Early career Tanaka was born in what is now part of Yamaguchi city, in Yamaguchi Prefecture. After high school, Tanaka entered the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, where he was a member of the 41st graduating class in 1913, ranked 34th out of 118 midshipmen to graduate. As a midshipman, Tanaka served on the cruisers and , battleship . After promotion to sub-lieutenant, he served on the cruiser and battlecruiser . He then a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gunichi Mikawa
was a vice admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Mikawa was the commander of a heavy cruiser force that defeated the United States Navy (USN) and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) at the Battle of Savo Island in Ironbottom Sound on the night of 8–9 August 1942. In this battle, his squadron of cruisers, plus one destroyer, sank three USN cruisers, plus the RAN heavy cruiser ; Mikawa's force suffered no losses in the actual battle, although heavy cruiser was sunk by the undetected American submarine on the return to their base near Rabaul in the Bismarck Archipelago. However, his later career was of mixed success, and he was reassigned to lesser posts after the loss of a troop convoy destined for New Guinea. After the war Mikawa retired back to Japan, where he died in 1981 at the age of 92. Early career Mikawa was a native of Hiroshima prefecture. He graduated from the 38th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1910, ranked third of hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shōji Nishimura
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Biography Nishimura was from Akita prefecture in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan. He was a graduate of the 39th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1911, ranking 21st out of 148 cadets. As a midshipman, he served on the armored cruiser and the battleship . After his commissioning as an ensign, he was assigned back to ''Aso'', and then to the battlecruiser . Nishimura attended naval artillery and torpedo school from 1914 to 1915, and then was assigned to the destroyer , the armored cruiser , and the battlecruiser . As a lieutenant from 1917, Nishimura specialized in navigation, and served as chief navigator on a large number of vessels, including the corvette , the destroyers , , , and , the light cruisers and , and the battleship . Nishimura was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1928. He was subsequently chief navigator on the armored cruiser . He was given his first command, of the destr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jinichi Kusaka
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Fellow Admiral Ryūnosuke Kusaka was his cousin. Biography A native of Ishikawa Prefecture, Kusaka graduated from the 37th class of the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy, ranked 21st in a class of 179 cadets. He served as midshipman on the cruisers and , and after being commissioned as ensign was assigned to the cruiser and battleship . As a lieutenant during World War I, he served on the cruiser , followed by the battleship and destroyer , but was not on any combat missions. After the end of the war, he attended the Naval Staff College, emerging in 1921 as a lieutenant commander. He was assigned to the battleship as Vice Chief Gunnery Officer, and to the battleships and as Chief Gunnery Officer. After Kusaka's promotion to captain on 1 December 1930, he was sent overseas to the United States and Europe for one year. After his return, he received his first command, the cruiser . He was subsequently captain ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Takeo Kurita
was a vice admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Kurita commanded IJN 2nd Fleet, the main Japanese attack force during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history. Biography Early life Takeo Kurita was born in Mito city, Ibaraki Prefecture, in 1889. He was sent off to Etajima in 1905 and graduated from the 38th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1910, ranked 28th out of a class of 149 cadets. As a midshipman, he served on the cruisers and . On being commissioned as ensign in 1911, he was assigned to . After his promotion to sub-lieutenant in 1913, Kurita served on the battleship , destroyer and cruiser . Kurita became a lieutenant on 1 December 1916, and served on a number of ships: protected cruiser , destroyers and . He also served as either the chief torpedo officer or executive officer on ''Minekaze'', , and . In 1920, he was given his first command: the destroyer ''Shigure''. In 1921, he assumed command of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nishizō Tsukahara
, was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Biography Tsukahara was born in Fukui Prefecture, but his official residence was Kofu, Yamanashi, Kofu city, Yamanashi Prefecture, where he was raised. Tsukahara graduated from the 36th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1908. He was ranked 20th out of 119 cadets, and noted Admiral Chuichi Nagumo was his classmate. He served his midshipman duty aboard the cruisers Japanese cruiser Soya, ''Soya'', and Japanese cruiser Iwate, ''Iwate'' and battleship Japanese battleship Okinoshima, ''Okinoshima''. After he was commissioned as an Ensign (rank), ensign in 1910, he was assigned to the Japanese battleship Shikishima, ''Shikishima'', followed by destroyer Japanese destroyer Yūdachi (1906), ''Yūdachi''. Tsukahara subsequently served on the Japanese battleship Yamashiro, ''Yamashiro'' and cruiser Japanese cruiser Aso, ''Aso''. After his promotion to lieutenant in 1914, he was assigned to , and was chief nav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
