Learning to Win: The Evolution of U.S. Navy Tactical Doctrine During the Guadalcanal Campaign

Between August and November 1942, the navies of the United States and Imperial Japan fought a series of night surface actions off the island of Guadalcanal. These battles tested the tactical doctrines of the two navies and exposed numerous flaws. This paper contends that the established narrative—which holds that the U.S. Navy was ill-prepared for night combat—is in need of revision. It assesses the U.S. Navy’s prewar night combat doctrine, explores how commanders at Guadalcanal modified it, and argues that the U.S. Navy was particularly adept at integrating combat lessons and modifying its tactical doctrine.