[xkaydet65]

Interesting but the author’s grasp of history needs improvement. America’s first offensive was indeed against Japan. At a festering island called Guadalcanal in Aug 1942.

[Vaquero]

America’s first offensive was indeed against Japan. At a festering island called Guadalcanal in Aug 1942.

Dad, passed away last September....and he was there in Aug '42 to help de-fester that Soloman Island. Semper Fi Pop.

[jamaksin]

... or was it that pesky "undeclared war" in the Atlantic - the US a neutral country at the time?

[Tallguy]

Interesting but the author’s grasp of history needs improvement. America’s first offensive was indeed against Japan. At a festering island called Guadalcanal in Aug 1942.

Correct. But Guadalcanal was really a defensive maneuver, strategically-speaking, in the sense that the airfield being built there by the Japanese would have allowed landbased aircraft to attack allied shipping & so isolate Australia. The 1st MarDiv was actually diverted to Guadalcanal (it was originally headed to Australia).

After clearing Japanese forces from Tulagi & Henderson Field (the former air base) the Japanese reacted quickly & re-inforced. What looked like an attack on a relatively isolated Japanese garrison became a grinding battle of attrition.