control of Henderson field they were in a defensive position & it takes superior forces to overcome a defensive position; as we learned later in the war. US was also in a better position to supply troops & materials,& also had superior weapons. Even if the Japanese had won this battle they still would have lost the war. If the US carrier fleet would have been at Pearl & destroyed, the US still would have prevailed in the end. No way they could have competed with US ability to produce war materials over the long haul. Just would have taken longer to defeat them.