Guadalcanal Essay

When informed of the campaign for Guadalcanal, many members of the US First Marine Division were in bad spirits. Severe cases of dysentery plagued many members due to the spoiled food served to them during their stay at the docks of New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington. The flu also spread rampantly due to a significant amount of rain in the area. (Steinberg 22) In addition to the widespread illnesses, the marines also grumbled about the unperceived importance of the campaign. None of the Marines had a complete understanding of the great strategic significance of Guadalcanal that the future would unveil. One marine in particular remarked, “ Whadda we want with a place nobody ever heard of before? Who ever heard of Guadalcanal?” (Steinberg

On August 24, Yamamoto's fleet made contact with the American fleet. As a result, the Japanese suffered the loss of one carrier and 90 planes. (Steinberg 32) Tulagi’s inability to control his irritation and the launching of his men without proper pre-planning broke one of Sun Tzu’s rules in the Attack by Stratagem section. It states: “The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain.” Sun Tzu also said that a tactful fighter will place his army in a position in which defeat is impossible. This rule was clearly broken by Yamamoto when he brought failure upon his team by searching for the US fleet. As a result of breaking this rule, the Japanese lost more than four times the planes than the Americans had lost. Thirdly, under the Energy section of The Art of War, Sun Tzu instructed that “Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight.” on the other hand, the force that arrives second will be drained of energy. Yamamoto’s fleet had been searching for the American fleet. (Steinberg 32)Because of this, they would be the second to arrive at the naval battle and their troops would not be as prepared for a fight as the

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