It was at the battle for Guadalcanal that the tide of 
war turned against the Japanese. After Guadalcanal, the 
Japanese never again advanced in the Pacific.

Marine and Army casulties in the Guadalcanal campaign 
amounted to approximately 1,600 killed and 4,700 
wounded. Although 13,000 Japanese were evacuated from 
Guadalcanal by February 1943, over 27,000 never left the 
island.
 
The total loss of life at sea during the Guadalcanal 
campaign has never been fully accounted, but Japanese 
and Allied combat shipping losses were about equal 
during this time period. These losses would be felt more 
acutely by the Japanese in future operations.

With the hell of Guadalcanal finally over, the Allies 
set their sights on the Central Solomons.

On Papua, New Guinea, the fighting was no less bitter. 
It took Australian and U.S. forces six months to pry the 
Japanese off the Kokoda Trail and out of Buna. 
Australian casualties amounted to almost 5,700, and the 
Americans lost over 2,800 dead or wounded. The Japanese 
lost approximately 12,000 dead. But the Allied road to 
Lae and Salamaua now lay open.

