"The result: America would have to rethink their policies for invading Japanese held territory that wasn't held by Britain or America before the war."

Agree. Strategy for the Central Pacific was predicated upon successful amphibious assaults against defended beaches. Had Tarawa failed,
that strategy would have come under close scrutiny. What the results of that scrutiny would have been is anyone's guess - Try Betio again? Bypass the Gilberts and move on the Marshall's?


"Since this was the first battle that America was on the offensive against Japan"

Actually, Guadalcanal was the first major U.S. offensive against Japanese forces - August, 1942.

Congratulations on taking on such an ambitious topic.

JT