U.S. Marines land on Guadalcanal, marking the start of the first major offensive by Allied forces against Japan in the Pacific.
Allied forces secure Guadalcanal, marking a turning point in the Pacific War as Japanese forces are pushed back.
Battle ends with Allied victory, significant for its high casualties and strategic impact on the closing stages of the war.
Japan surrenders following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, officially ending World War II in the Pacific.