Part 4/11:
As U.S. forces considered offensive operations, initial targets included several islands in the Solomon Islands, particularly Guadalcanal and Tulagi. Following the Battle of Midway, it was determined that the Japanese were constructing an airfield on Guadalcanal, which would pose a substantial threat to Allies’ supply lines to Australia. Recognizing the urgency, the Navy initiated plans for an offensive operation with little input from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, specifically sidelining General Douglas MacArthur, theater commander in the Southwest Pacific area.