Allied Forces
Allied forces took the offensive for the first time in the war by invading the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands and capturing a newly constructed Japanese airfield. However, because of its location, this battle would devolve into months of fighting throughout the dense jungle terrain. The Japanese were once again decisively defeated, and they retreated from the island in February 1943.
Map of Guadalcanal.
After securing Guadalcanal, Allied forces implemented an island-hopping campaign that consisted of attacking and bypassing selected enemy-held islands. However, Allied forces would endure three more years of fierce battles on land, on/under the sea, and in the air before securing their final victory in 1945.
Soldiers in the Solomon Islands.