Battle of Midway
June 4-7, 1942
The Battle of the Midway was the turning point of the War in the Pacific. The U.S. was able to crack a message of Japan's plan on ambushing the some of the U.S.'s air craft carriers. This was the most strategical battle in the Pacific and inflecting damage to Japan's Navy while allowing the U.S. to switch to more offensive strategies.
The goal of the Japanese, which was lead by Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, was to sink the ships that had escaped the attack of Peal Harbor. Also gaining control of Midway Island, Japan would be able to further their power and control in the Pacific. The Japanese would attack an area close to Pearl Harbor, Midway Island, so when U.S. ships came to counterattack the Japanese fleet would be ready for them. The U.S., however, had already decoded the Japanese messages so they knew their plan of attack. The U.S. Pacific fleet was lead by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, and were positioned to surprise the Japanese. The Japanese planned their attack on Midway as early as May 2nd so by the time Nimitz had to make a final decision about the counterattack the Japanese assault was known in great detail by decoding the Japanese messages.
The initial attacks on the Japanese fleet was not successful. The torpedo bombers were separated from the dive-bombers, because of this 36 out of the 42 torpedo bombers were shot down. But this created time for the dive-bombers to find the Japanese. The Japanese carriers were caught refueling their planes making them very vulnerable to the U.S. attacks.
The U.S. sunk four fleet carriers of the Japanese: Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. While also losing 322 aircraft, the cruiser Mikuma, and over 5,000 sailors. The U.S. Navy only lost 147 aircraft and 300 hundred sailors. Overall Japan lost one third of its pilot and many of its trained mechanics. The Battle of Midway limited the power of the Imperial Navy giving the U.S. and the Allies an advantage over them and changing the course of the War in the Pacific.