The Battle of Guadalcanal was a major turning point in World War 2. Over 60,000 troops landed on Guadalcanal in August 1942, with about 12,000 Americans and 31,000 Japanese killed over the following months in intense fighting. By December, American reinforcements had arrived and the Japanese realized their efforts were useless, abandoning the island by February 1943. While the US lost 29 ships and 615 aircraft, Japan lost 38 ships and 683-880 aircraft, marking a significant strategic defeat.