The Guadacanal is an island in Solomon Islands, a small nation. During World War II, a major battle was fought here called the Guadalcanal Campaign, or theBattle of Guadalcanal. It was code-named Operation Watchtower. Solomon Islands is a country over 28,400 square kms with 6 major and 900 smaller islands in Oceania east of Papua New Guinea and Northwest of Vanuatu. Solomon Islands’ main island is Guadalcanal and the capital is Honiara on that island.
In August 1942, the Allied forces led by the US landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Florida islands to take over those places and set up base to counter the Japanese. The Allied forces were larger in number and they overpowered the Japanese by taking over Tulagi and Florida rather quickly. They also took over the Henderson Field in Guadalcanal.
The Japanese launched a major offensive against the Allied forces to take the Henderson field back. The offensive led to the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942. The Japanese had lost the battle by December and finally evacuated by February 1943.
This became the turning point in the war against Japan as the Allied changed their stance from defensive to offensive and took Japan head on in its own Pacific theater with victorious battles in Milne Bay, Buna-Gona, and Guadalcanal!
Here are some breath-taking pictures that remind us of the battles that Allied forces fought against the Japanese in what turned out to be the pivotal time in World War II! These pictures include those of submerged planes, abandoned tanks and tractors and shipwrecks in Solomon Islands, Northern Mariana Islands and Rock Islands in Palau. (Source)
Picture Gallery of World War II relics in Solomon islands
Aerial image showing the remains of the Japanese Imperial Navy destroyer Kikuzuki lying in Tokyo Bay in the Solomon Islands
Aerial view shows more debris from the Imperial Japan fighter ‘Zero’ remains in a jungle in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Type 96 15 cm howitzer used by Imperial Japan Army in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Japanese Imperial Navy fighter A6M ‘Zero’ in a field on Pagan Island Northern Mariana Islands
Debris of the Imperial Japan fighter ‘Zero’ in a jungle in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Debris of the United States Marine Corps amphibious tractors in a jungle in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Debris of the Imperial Japan fighter ‘Zero’ in a jungle on Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Debris of the Imperial Japan fighter ‘Zero’ in a jungle in Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands
Aerial image showing various piers used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in Gavutu Island Solomon Islands
Debris from the Imperial Japan fighter ‘Zero’ in a jungle in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Type 96 15 cm howitzer used by the Imperial Japan Army is seen in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Aerial image showing debris of the Japanese Imperial Navy fighter A6M ‘Zero’ in a field in Pagan Island which is in the Northern Mariana Islands
Bunker at the Last command post in Saipan which is in the Northern Mariana Islands
Debris of the Japanese Imperial Navy transport vessel Kinugawa Maru lies at Tassafaronga beach in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
United States Naval transport vessel stranded in Nggela Islands Solomon Islands
Scenic view of a lone island in the Rock Islands in Palau
Debris of the Japanese Imperial Navy transport vessel Kinugawa Maru at Tassafaronga beach in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Imperial Japan fighter ‘Zero’ in a jungle in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Helmet sitting on a rock that was used by Imperial Japan soldier in a jungle in Barana Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Mangrove trees grow from debris of the Japanese Imperial Navy destroyer Kikuzuki at Tokyo Bay in Nggela Islands Solomon Islands
Former prison used by Imperial Japan is seen at Garapan area in Saipan on the Northern Mariana Islands
M4 Sherman tank in shallow water off Chalan Kanoa beach in Saipan Northern Mariana Islands
Debris of the Japanese Imperial Navy destroyer Kikuzuki lies partially submerged at Tokyo Bay in Nggela Islands Solomon Islands
Aerial view of debris from the Japanese Imperial Navy destroyer Kikuzuki lies at Tokyo Bay in Nggela Islands Solomon Islands
Debris of the Japanese Imperial Navy destroyer Kikuzuki at Tokyo Bay in Nggela Islands Solomon Islands
Debris of the United States Marine Corps amphibious tractor in a jungle in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Aerial image of Seventy Island in Palau taken 75 years after the war with Imperial Japan started
Aerial image showing the Japanese Imperial Navy transport vessel Kinugawa Maru at Tassafaronga beach in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Aerial image of debris of the Imperial Japan Navy Type Zero Reconnaissance Seaplane in shallow water in Solomon Islands
Wing of the Imperial Japan fighter ‘Zero’ remains in thick jungle in Guadalcanal Island Solomon Islands
Japanese Imperial Navy transport vessel Kinugawa Maru lies at Tassafaronga beach
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