Historical Overview:

Guadalcanal is the largest island in the Solomons, an archipelago in the South Pacific. It has a mountainous interior, with a valley to the north that holds a military base and Henderson Field airfield.

In 1942-1943, Guadalcanal and the nearest islands were a battlefield for one of the largest battles of the Pacific War. The Japanese tried to establish themselves on the island to be able to block Australia and increase the defense of the territories taken. By the time the Allies noticed their increased activity in the Solomons, the Japanese had already begun building the airfield. To prevent the enemy from reinforcing their position in the South Pacific, the Allies decided to launch a landing operation on Guadalcanal.
The operation was codenamed Operation Watchtower.