Table of Data Points

Admiral Yamamoto conceives a massive aerial counter attack designed to sink allied shipping and destroy allied air power in the Solomons and New Guinea. It was motived largely as a response to losses at Guadalcanal, New Guinea and the Bismarck Sea.

Japanese air attacks on a U.S. task force sink a heavy cruiser and damage a destoryer. The rest of the U.S. task force was forced to retreat from the southern Solomons area. As a result Japanese forces were able to safely evacuate Guadalcanal.

Efforts by General Manstein to break through to the encircled 6th army at Stalingrad. Hitler's explicit order that the 6th army not break out of Stalingrad and Paulus's refusal to disobey that order doomed the attempt.

The combined British-American landings in French North Africa. The invasion hoped to Axis Powers from North Africa, improve naval control of the Mediterranean Sea and prepare an invasion of Southern Europe in 1943.

This Allied victory turned the tide in the North African Campaign. It ended Axis hopes of occupying Egypt, taking control of the Suez Canal, and gaining access to the Middle Eastern oil fields.