The Loss of Sea and Air Control by Japan
The Fall of the Japanese Army and the Beginning of Starvation
※ This is the 7th part of a 9-part series on the Pacific War.
America’s Seizure of Sea Control (Guadalcanal campaign)
After this, the Japanese military made a few more attempts to attack, but ultimately, the waters around Guadalcanal Island were dominated by the American forces, and the Japanese could not deliver a decisive blow.
They landed a few effective hits, but the sea route from Japan to Guadalcanal remained completely closed. Not only had the sea been taken by the Americans, but the island also had an airfield that the U.S. forces could freely use.
The right to move across the sea without being attacked is called "Sea Control," and the right to move through the air without being attacked is called "Air Control." Around Guadalcanal, Japan had completely lost both of these rights to the Americans.
The Collapse of Supplies
At this point, however, the Japanese army that had landed on Guadalcanal began to experience hell. Naturally, they needed weapons and food sent to them, but doing so with large transport ships was impossible.
Transport ships, typically converted merchant vessels, had no means to attack the enemy. With sea control lost to the Americans, approaching Guadalcanal with such ships was tantamount to suicide.
Unable to fight back, they would be sunk by enemy warships or aircraft before even reaching the island.
The Fight Against Starvation
As a result, the Japanese army fighting on Guadalcanal was forced to engage in combat without proper weapons or food supplies.
On Guadalcanal, the battle against starvation became the primary struggle, overshadowing the fight against the enemy, creating the worst possible scene.
While the army fought on land, nearby army units watched the navy struggle at sea and confidently marched toward Guadalcanal.
This confidence stemmed from the Japanese army’s prior successes, such as their triumphant advance through the Malay Peninsula and repeated victories in Southeast Asia.
The Illusion from Southeast Asia
Through their battles in Southeast Asia, the Japanese army had gained confidence in their advances. However, this confidence was, in reality, an illusion.
The opponents they had faced in Southeast Asia were akin to "second-tier" Western forces. At this time, World War II was raging in Europe, and elite soldiers were being deployed to defend their home countries.
The troops sent to protect distant Southeast Asian colonies from the Japanese were second-rate soldiers.
The Failure of the Bayonet Charge
In other words, the Western soldiers fighting in Southeast Asia were poorly trained and equipped with outdated gear handed down from their home countries.
This led the Japanese army to fall into the misconception that "Western armies are weak." Consequently, the force Japan sent to Guadalcanal was a small unit of just over 900 men. They optimistically thought, "900 should be enough to win this time too."
However, when the Japanese army landed on Guadalcanal, the Americans had already stationed over 10,000 troops there. Unaware of this, the 900-man Japanese unit landed and launched an attack. At this moment, they executed a "Bayonet Charge."
The End of an Outdated Tactic
Of course, charging head-on in a fair fight would immediately expose them to the enemy and lead to their defeat.
Thus, bayonet charges were typically conducted at night under the cover of darkness. Firing guns at night was generally prohibited since the sound and muzzle flash would reveal their position. Instead, they would stealthily approach the enemy at night and stab them with bayonets attached to their rifles.
Though somewhat crude and analog, this tactic was a desperate measure taken in a situation where supplies couldn’t reach them due to the Americans’ control of the sea.
In the end, the bayonet charge met the textbook countermeasure of being mowed down by machine guns, and the 900-man Japanese unit was wiped out in an instant.
The next 8th part will detail how the Japanese army met a tragic end on Guadalcanal.