Overview:The Battle of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands was the first American offensive in the critical central Pacific region. U.S. forces took the island but the casualties in the few days of fighting were similar to the losses in the six month Guadalcanal campaign. The battle is often referred to as 'Bloody Tarawa'. In Italy British General Montgomery's forces on the move. Eisenhower named to command Overlord, the Normandy invasion.