Japanese Counterattack and Night Battle Success
Fierce Fighting in the Darkness
The Pacific War series consists of a total of 9 parts, and this article is the 6th installment.
Japanese Counterattack Plan
Naturally, the Japanese military couldn’t just stand by and watch this unfold. They were fully aware that Guadalcanal Island was a pivotal location that could determine the course of the war moving forward.
With this in mind, they quickly devised a plan to recapture the island and dispatched a fleet with urgency.
Preparations for large warships hadn’t been completed in time, so they scraped together a modest fleet of eight medium and small ships.
One might wonder, “Is this really enough?” Yet, despite the modest size of their force, the Japanese fleet approached the operation with a surprising degree of confidence.
Night Battle Strategy
The strategy for recapturing Guadalcanal hinged on a night battle approach—slipping through the cover of darkness to close in on the enemy and unleash a barrage of torpedoes.
At the time, the American forces had radar to detect enemy ships, but its accuracy was still lacking, meaning the final decision to attack often depended on visual confirmation.
In contrast, the Japanese had honed their ability to spot enemies even in the pitch-black night through rigorous training.
They practiced listening for sounds in dark rooms during the day, rewarded night sentries with tastier meals, and even encouraged the consumption of Vitamin A-rich foods to boost night vision—efforts that, while lacking scientific backing at the time, reflected their determination.
Success and Limits of Night Battle
It’s unclear just how effective these training methods truly were, but one thing was certain: the Japanese excelled at night combat, a fact that struck fear into the Americans, who nicknamed them “Cats’ Eyes.” The Japanese believed that if they could unilaterally strike the enemy under the cover of darkness, even a small fleet could overwhelm the larger American naval forces.
This strategy paid off brilliantly. The Japanese fleet hid in the shadow of the island, biding their time until nightfall, then charged at the American ships. Using the darkness to their advantage, their well-trained lookouts spotted the radar-equipped U.S. fleet first, giving them the upper hand.
Victory and Withdrawal
Though hastily assembled and lacking overwhelming firepower, each Japanese ship operated with independent judgment, firing torpedoes and cannon rounds effectively. They inflicted significant damage on the American fleet while suffering almost no counterattacks in return.
However, night battles came with a strict time limit: the inevitable arrival of dawn. As sunrise approached, the Japanese fleet—still unscathed—made the decision to turn back and withdraw in unison.
They had exploited the darkness for their attack, but they knew that once daylight broke, the tables could turn, exposing them to a fierce American counteroffensive. To avoid this, they retreated beyond the reach of U.S. forces before the sky brightened.
Missed Opportunity: Supply Ships
Dealing heavy damage to the enemy fleet and escaping unscathed—surely that counts as a resounding success, right? Not entirely. Here, the Japanese made a critical blunder: they failed to target the American supply ships.
Positioned further back behind the main U.S. fleet, these transport vessels escaped the Japanese assault unscathed. In the remote waters around Guadalcanal, far from both American and Japanese home bases, supply lines were a lifeline.
If the materials and provisions carried by those ships didn’t reach the troops on the island, the front line could collapse in an instant.
Without food or resources, even the toughest soldiers would struggle to fight effectively.
Turning Tide
Had the Japanese attacked and destroyed the U.S. supply ships in this night battle, they might have gained a decisive upper hand in one fell swoop.
Instead, they chose to withdraw before dawn without touching the transports. What seemed like a complete victory for Japan ended up being a missed opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to the American forces on Guadalcanal.
Thus, the first naval engagement in the waters surrounding the island came to a close, with Japan’s triumph marred by this oversight.
Next, in Part 7, we’ll explore the downfall of the Japanese forces.