The Importance of the Battle of Savo Island

On the night of August 9, 1942, an Allied fleet consisting of 17 warships was positioned to guard the approaches to Guadalcanal. This fleet included six heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and nine destroyers, and was newer, larger, and better equipped than the Japanese force approaching it. The Allied squadron had radar technology, which should have allowed for early detection of the enemy, and was on average 10 years newer and outweighed the Japanese forces by more than 85 percent in total displacement.