The first Japanese attempt to retake Guadalcanal was planned within days of the Marines' landing on August 7. The Japanese were conducting at this time a very promising, three-week-old campaign to cross to the south of the Owen Stanley Mountains in New Guinea and capture the strategic Port Moresby. Thus, there were in the adjacent Solomon's Islands area a number of troops staging through; these included one of the two combat-ready infantry regiments available to Japanese planners with which to oppose the American landing on Guadalcanal (the 144th). However, after assessing the situation, this formation was released for New Guinea (arriving on the 14th). The remaining infantry regiment available was the 28th, which had been earmarked for the ill-fated invasion of Midway in June and was, on August 7, en-route from Guam to the Japanese mainland. This destination was abruptly changed to Guadalcanal.
Upon arrival, the regiment's 2nd Battalion immediately set upon the five Marine battalions then at Lunga Point, and was decimated. With somewhat more moderation, the remainder of the regiment followed; the 1st Battalion on August 29, the 3rd on September 4.
Meanwhile, the Marines had completed the paving of the runway at Lunga Point, and "Henderson" Field became operational with two Marine squadrons on August 20. Although air operations were at first disappointing, their significance was not lost on the Japanese, who by now recognized the real threat posed by the American enclave. They planned a limited offensive, conducted by the 35th Brigade, then stationed in the Netherlands East Indies. Arrival of the brigade began at once: the 124th Regiment (Aug. 30, 31, Sept. 7), Engineers (Aug 31), Anti-aircraft, mortar and anti-tank battalions (Sept. 4, Sept. 7, and Aug. 30, respectively).
This offensive jumped off on September 12, when the forward elements of the 35th Brigade discovered elements of the Marine parachute Battalion, which was mauled in the ensuing action. However, the Japanese insisting upon a frontal assault along the ridge, were stopped.
Following the battle of "Bloody Ridge," the Americans felt for the first time capable of expanding their perimeter. And with the arrival of the Seventh Marine Regiment, the operation, with the aim of forcing the main Japanese force beyond striking distance of the Lunga area, was begun. Although an outpost was established along the Matanikau River as a result of this operation, attempts to cross the river were repulsed with heavy losses. Further attempts on 7-9 October met with a similar fate, as the Japanese had planned a simultaneous crossing of the Matanikau from west to east. With the heavy losses incurred in these ill-advised offensives, the Marines were forced to consolidate their position and await the next Japanese move.
After the repulse of their 35th Brigade, the Japanese determined to send an entire division to Guadalcanal. This unit, the 2nd (Sendai), had begun its transfer (it also was based in the Netherlands East Indies) to Japanese bases in the Solomon's in August. It was to approach to the south of the American perimeter through the rough terrain to the west.
The Japanese approach route made the movement of heavy weapons prohibitively slow, and most of these were simply abandoned along the way. Such was the Japanese faith in success. Despite the warnings of the 35th Brigade's commander (who was dismissed for his view that the main thrust should be to the east of Bloody Ridge), the Japanese command again opted for the frontal assault against the ridge position. Predictably, this attack met with no more success than the first, and the Japanese prepared to send still another division, the 38th, perhaps never understanding the problem before them.
But in any case, the bulk of the 38th Division was destroyed by dive bombers while en-route to Guadalcanal; by this time, American control of the air in the lower Solomon's had become complete. The Japanese then realized that further reinforcement was unfeasible, and adopted the objective of delaying rather than defeating the Americans. The Japanese forces, the last of which were evacuated in February, 1943, were remarkably effective in that role and had actually restricted the Americans to the relatively small area shown on the game map up until mid-January, 1943.
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