Bougainville counterattack

The Bougainville counterattack was an unsuccessful Japanese offensive against the Allied base at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville Island during the Pacific War. The Japanese attack began on 8 March 1944 after months of preparations, but was repulsed by United States Army forces in fighting which lasted until the 25th of the month. The Allied defenders greatly outnumbered the Japanese force, and inflicted severe casualties on the attackers while taking relatively few losses. This battle was the final major Japanese offensive in the Solomon Islands campaign, though fighting continued on Bougainville until the end of the war in August 1945.