1. [n]  a battle in World War II in the Pacific (1942-1943); the island was occupied by the Japanese and later recaptured by American forces
2. [n]  a mountainous island; the largest of the Solomon Islands in the independent state that is a member of the British Commonwealth

Guadalcanal
The battle at Guadalcanal marked the first American offensive of World War II and was fought on land, at sea, and in the air. For six months the Americans and the Japanese clashed in brutal warfare that escalated to unimagined levels of sustained violence. 50 photographs; 30 maps.

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