Admiral Raizō Tanaka under the command of the Kongō Battleship, 1940

During the Pacifc War, Tanaka faced the surface task forces of the United States Navy and its few New Zealander allies many times, often achieving either a victory over, or a stalemate with, often larger enemy squadrons, mostly in night battles. From the Americans, Tanaka acquired the nickname of "Tenacious Tanaka" for his stalwart opposition.


Admiral Raizō Tanaka at Battleship Kongō

Zero Fighters from the Kaga Aircraft Carrier taking off to attack Allied Forces in New Guinea, January 1942.

Kaga Carrier Zero Fighters

Major General Kiyotake Kawaguchi and his staff of the 35th Infantry Brigade along the shore of Guadalcanal Island shortly after landing, September1942.

During the Battle of Edson's Ridge Kawaguchi's forces were defeated with heavy losses and forced to retreat from the battlefield. Kawaguchi was subsequently relieved of command during the Japanese preparations for another attack in October 1942 and evacuated from the island and back to Japan
