Guadalcanal: It's All About the Game and How You Play It
Guadalcanal also served as a stepping stone to Japan. The island, inhabited by natives, was seemingly "up-for-grabs" between the U.S. and Japan. Japan saw it as a vital tool to eventually conquer Australia. The U.S. saw it as a defensive tool to ward off the Japanese while protecting its ally. From August 1942 to the following February in the next year, both forces fought for control of the island. In the end, the U.S. arose victorious, with a piece of the Solomon Islands in their pocket. The leader of this offensive was General Douglas MacArthur.