137 - The Marines’ Assault on Guadalcanal

2025-09-23

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This is the third episode of our Guadalcanal series with historian and author Dave Holland. This episodes discusses: How the Marines seized conducted the landing and seized Guadalcanal’s decisive terrain. Red Beach landing bypasses IJA fortifications at Lunga Point. Vandegrift prioritizes tight perimeter, airfield defense. Carriers withdraw; logistics halved, myths debunked. Japanese forces surprised and how they reacted. Combined arms landings: infantry, artillery, engineers. What r...

This is the third episode of our Guadalcanal series with historian and author Dave Holland.

This episodes discusses:

How the Marines seized conducted the landing and seized Guadalcanal’s decisive terrain.
Red Beach landing bypasses IJA fortifications at Lunga Point.
Vandegrift prioritizes tight perimeter, airfield defense.
Carriers withdraw; logistics halved, myths debunked.
Japanese forces surprised and how they reacted.
Combined arms landings: infantry, artillery, engineers.
What really happened with the Goettge Patrol?
Logistics speed amphibious resupply.
Amtracs and beachmasters enable rapid combat buildup.
Modern littoral operations: enduring risk management lessons.

Dave is an ex-Marine and was posted to Guadalcananal with the Australian Federal Police. He regularly leads battlefield study tours through the area. He is a world-leading expert on the battles of Guadalcanal and author of Guadalcanal's Longest Fight - The Pivotal Battles of the Matanikau Front.

Check out the show notes for this episode.

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