The Battle of Midway: How the US Decisively Defeated Japan in 1942

Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US Navy and Marine Corps stopped the advance of the Japanese and the Pacific Theater and destroyed Japan's frontline Carrier Strike during the Battle of Midway.

The Battle of Midway - The Pacific Theater of World War II, 4–7 June 1942

December 7th, 1941, is a day that will live in infamy. Japanese aircraft launched a devastating attack on the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, America, a reluctant nation isolated, with no more mobilizers to stop Japanese aggression in the Pacific.

Yamamoto is Aku, the Japanese fleet commander and mastermind of the Pearl Harbor attack plans to draw called the century for Hawaii by the Japanese home to an American airbase out of the American fleet and destroy its aircraft carriers that operate unchallenged from the mid-Pacific to New Guinea.

Meanwhile, a tireless staff of American intelligence experts cleverly breaks the Japanese military command code, giving Admiral Chester Nimitz, commanding the Pacific fleet, a peek into Japanese planning in time, and the American intelligence staff deduces it to within five miles and five minutes. The location of a Japanese battle force preparing to expand its deadly grip in the Pacific.

The Battle of Midway - The Pacific Theater of World War II, 4–7 June 1942

The enemy target midway, a strategically important base, and with an easy striking distance of the Hawaiian islands, Yamamoto plans to take the Atoll and use it as a base from which to destroy the rest of the U.S. Pacific fleet and solidify the Japanese hold throughout the region.

The Intel work arms, the Americans with an idea of Japanese intentions, Nimitz deploys a carrier striking group centered on USS Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown to support forces based Midway between three American carriers to four Japanese, even with the Intel, the outcome is anything but sure on the other side, vice Admiral Yamamoto's carrier commander is overconfident in his advantage.

He believes the beliefs to defend against his onslaught, rather than to take advantage of them. He thinks the American fleet is not equipped to defend against his onslaught.

Instead, the Americans successfully courageously fend off the June 4th, aerosol, Midway shooting down key leaders within the strike group and disrupting Japanese operations.

The two massive fleets finally make first contact when Hornet's Top squadron eight, with no fighter support, attacks the Japanese carriers. The Japanese shot down all the American aircraft and inflicted heavy damage on the Enterprise in Yorktown torpedo squadrons. The American torpedo attacks came on the heels of the disruptive attacks from Midway-based planes.

This compels Nagumo to re-arm his second strike to engage the American carrier task force rather than a second attack on the Midway as planned. That's when American dive bombers discover the Japanese fleet and scream down onto their exposed enemy.

Within minutes, three of the Japanese carriers are in flames and taking on water. Aviation fuel and ordinance are on the decks of the Japanese carriers, compounding the damage done by the American bombs. And soon the three carriers begin one-way journeys to the bottom of the Pacific.

Here, you, the lone remaining Japanese carrier, retaliate, inflicting severe damage to Yorktown. Later that same day, she attacks her prey again, but before she can make her escape, an American aircraft carrier, some orphans from Yorktown, sends a Japanese ship to join her fellow carrier at the bottom of the sea.

Unfortunately for Yorktown, after two days of intense damage control, Japanese sub spots, the carrier was spotted by the assisting destroyer Hammann on June 6th, the sub fired on both, forcing their crews to abandon their sinking ships.

American losses include 144 Navy and Marine Corps aircraft—the carrier Yorktown, the destroyer Hammann, and 307 sailors.

The Japanese losses proved far more severe: four carriers, a heavy cruiser, 256 planes, and more than 3000 sailors. A stunning blow to the Japanese fleet at the beginning of the end of their dominance in the Pacific, the decisive battle of Midway was an American victory and the turning point of the war in the Pacific.

The Battle of Midway - The Pacific Theater of World War II, 4–7 June 1942

Replica of a 1940s newsreel telling the story of the Battle of Midway.

Thank you for the Video, Edward Coffey