[GandalfTheGrey]

Just watched the first two episodes of this Hanks/Spielberg extravaganza depicting the initial actions of the Guadalcanal campaign.

I'd like to question one aspect of the campaign that was depicted in these two episodes.

In the first episode, a day or so after the first US landings, we see a naval engagement off the coast of the island. We are told that the US navy was defeated and that all US naval forces had retreated. The soldiers are told that the Japanese have control of the waters meaning that supplies for the US troops have been cut off. In one dramatic statement, we are told by one soldier that most of the supplies and ammunition were sunk. While not taking as gospel the word of one soldier, the message to the audience was clear.

In the introduction to the second episode, Tom Hanks claims that after that naval engagement (which I have since learned was the Battle of Savo Island), the US troops were left with no incoming supplies and were faced with disease and even starvation.

Historically accurate? Well, only going by wikipedia - and perfectly willing to be disproven, this doesn't seem to be entirely accurate. In the wiki article on the overall Guadalcanal campaign we learn that the transports that were part of the naval force involved in the battle were actually unharmed and successfully landed on the island:

The Japanese suffered moderate damage to one cruiser. Mikawa, who was unaware Fletcher had withdrawn with the U.S. carriers, immediately retired to Rabaul without attempting to attack the now unprotected transports. Mikawa was concerned about daylight U.S. carrier air attacks if he remained in the area. Turner withdrew all remaining Allied naval forces by the evening of August 9, leaving the Marines ashore without much of the heavy equipment, provisions, and troops still aboard the transports. However, Mikawa's decision not to attack the Allied transport ships when he had the opportunity would prove to be a crucial strategic mistake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalcana ... uadalcanal

In another wiki article about the battle itself, we learn that the supply transports continued landing on the island largely unimpeded for the duration of the campaign. Things did get a little tight, but the island was never actually left unsupplied.

From the time of the battle until several months later, almost all Allied supplies and reinforcements sent to Guadalcanal came by transports in small convoys, mainly during daylight hours, while Allied aircraft from the New Hebrides and Henderson Field and any available aircraft carriers flew covering missions. During this time, Allied forces on Guadalcanal received barely enough ammunition and provisions to withstand the several Japanese drives to retake the islands.

"barely enough" - but evidently still enough.

So in conclusion, there seems to be 2 inaccuracies - first that Japanese had control of the waters around Guadalcanal after the battle - clearly not the case since Japanese forces also withdrew after the battle, and secondly, that US ground forces had had their supplies cut off for a period as a result of the battle.

[Thunderhawk]

first that Japanese had control of the waters around Guadalcanal after the battle - clearly not the case since Japanese forces also withdrew after the battle,

My take:
Sounds like the USN left because of a tangible threat (the Japanese ships there) while the Japanese left due to a percieved threat. I am under the impression that it would have been easier and faster for the Japanese to get a fighter screen to protect them from a percieved American Aircraft threat then for the Americans to get enough aircraft and/or naval ships to oust the known Japanese fleet. If so, that would imply to me that the Japanese "controlled" the waters because they had a better situation to act from (if they stopped playing the cowardly lion). Perhaps "dominated" the waters would have been better?