Until the end of 1941,
it is in Europe and North Africa what the main events took place
of World War II. During the year 1942, the conflict will take
a more global dimension. The surprise attack on the Navy
American at Pearl Harbor will be the trigger. The events
in the Pacific theater of operations were going to know
a real escalation. The Empire of the Rising Sun,
looking to expand south expanding its scope
of influence towards Australia and the north, was getting dangerously close
of the American West Coast. irresistible expansionism
of Japan, however, was going face serious challenges. The months of April, May and June 1942
will make the Japanese understand that there were limits
to their insolent success. A sleeping giant
had been awakened in Pearl Harbor and the Americans who were doing
their entry into the arena, soon made their influence felt. Very daring raid
from Doolittle to Tokyo, in the battle of the Coral Sea
and at the Battle of Midway, all the advantages that Japan
conquered at Pearl Harbor were going to be countered
by US forces. The creation of a sphere
of co-prosperity in the Far East, freed from control
western empires, was for a long time
the dream of Japanese leaders. In April 42, the Empire of the Rising Sun was
larger than it had ever been. The war in Southeast Asia
and in the Pacific had been successful. The Japanese were now
masters of strategic areas the most important on the Chinese coast,
Malaysia, Thailand, of the Dutch East Indies
and much of Burma. In the Pacific,
they held Wake Island, new england,
the Gilbert Islands and Guam, and the conquest
new territories continued. It was a prospect
nightmarish for the Allies. In the first months of the war,
important outposts british and american
had fallen into the hands of the invaders, and thousands of soldiers
had been taken prisoner, interned deep inside
enemy lines. Even Singapore, previously considered
like an impregnable fortress, had been crushed by the Japanese. News that had the effect
of a bomb in the Allied staffs. America,
at the same time, had lost military bases
of strategic importance and was about to lose his footing
on the precious islands of the Philippines. After the invasion of the capital
of the Philippines, Manila, the Japaneses
headed south, on the heels
retreating Allied troops. Nothing seemed able then
prevent the Empire of the Rising Sun to dominate
entirely the Pacific. After this series of victories,
Japanese soldiers, very satisfied
of what they had accomplished, took time to rest. For now, the threat
Western on their new Empire seemed to be eliminated. The Japanese were
confident in their ability to hold these territories easily. Britain and America,
were preparing a counter-attack, because there was no question of undergoing
such defeats without retaliation. A few days
after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the British Prime Minister,
Winston Churchill, went to Washington to start discussions
with President Roosevelt. On December 26, 1941, during a speech
before the US Congress, he asserted his intractability
determination to crush the enemy. what kind of people
do they think we are? Is it possible that they don't realize
that we will never stop to fight them
until they get a lesson that they and the world
can never forget? Britain was alone
in the fight against the Axis forces since the fall
from France in the summer of 1940. America's Entrance
in the global conflict was greatly appreciated by Churchill. Henceforth Roosevelt,
Churchill and Joseph Stalin, at war with the forces
of the Third Reich since June 41, were united against the Axis. There was now a real
hope of victory for the Allies. Commander assignments for operations
in the Pacific were underway. There was no doubt about the importance
challenges awaiting them. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz
who took command of the Pacific Fleet
two weeks after the Japanese attack against the naval base
American in Hawaii, was aware that he would be
necessary to take the time to release
pearl harbor ruins before restoring
the preeminence of the American fleet. responsible for coordinating
an attack in the Pacific, one more ocean
160 million square kilometres, Nimitz was going to have to overcome
a severe handicap in the first months. However, Americans
had a major advantage, their aircraft carriers,
who weren't in Pearl Harbor when the planes
Japanese had attacked. They were going to play a major role
in the clashes of the Pacific. This advantage, the US Navy was going to exploit it to the full. Fearing that the Japanese
continue their progress to Australia
and New Zealand, the first response from the Allies was to lay the foundations
at the edge of the Pacific in order to
launch counterattacks. The isolated islands of New Caledonia,
Fiji and Espiritu Santo who were
in the northeast of Australia, were for a long time
in the Western sphere of influence and the establishment
of military bases was quickly decided. Considering
fierce fighting underway on the theater
of European operation, it turned out to be very complicated to find reserves
to send to the Pacific. These supplies
only with difficulty. The Japanese were accelerating
their rate of expansion borders of their Empire. The allied engineers, them, ran against
the watch to finish their work, often attempting the impossible
to cope with difficult terrain. Despite the determination
of the Allies to stop the Japanese that never faltered, the situation in April 1942
was critical to say the least. Since the invasion
from the Philippines in December 41, American and Philippine forces
led by General Douglas MacArthur led a resistance
desperate against the Japanese. As the situation deteriorated, president roosevelt
asked MacArthur to stand down to take command
in the Southwest Pacific, from Australia. Although reluctant
to leave his men, MacArthur obeys orders
of the President on March 11, not without having done
the solemn vow to return. It was little consolation
for troops left in the Philippines which had been postponed until
a reduced of the Bataan peninsula, outside the main island of Luzon at the beginning of April. naval forces
allies in the area that were destroyed during
of a series of battles around Java, and all territories
surrounding their positions being under Japanese control, these troops were now
totally cut off from the world. When the Japanese
launched their assault during which the air force and artillery
broke the Allied defense lines, those hungry, sick men
and weary from incessant fighting, were too weak to respond. They ended up surrendering. A part of the soldiers attempted
to escape from the island of Corregidor to the south of Bataan, but battalions
Japanese infantry had infiltrated
and drove them back to Malinta Hill. In great despair
of those who were still fighting, the american flag was lowered
and General Jonathan Wainwright, who took over
of General MacArthur, had no choice but to accept
terms of surrender proposed by the general
Masaharu Honma. On May 8, 1942, the Philippines
were officially lost. A greater tragedy
still waiting for the Allies following the fall of the Philippines. The Japaneses
took 80,000 prisoners. All had to
be transported to camps, but faced with the magnitude of the task, the Japanese decided to make them
walk a hundred kilometers up the line
railroad in San Fernando. This walk, who was later baptized
"The March of death", began April 10. It was hell for these men
malnourished and sick. Thousands died because of their state of fatigue,
hunger, dehydration and disease. thousands more
were killed by their guards. It was a dark omen
on what the war against Japan was going to cost in terms
of human lives. prisoners of war
being treated with contempt by Japanese soldiers
who considered any surrender as a disgrace. The news
inhuman treatment in Bataan eventually made their way to America. Posters circulated
to show these atrocities and the emotion was very strong
within the American population. The Allied resolve
to crush the Japanese grew even stronger. President Roosevelt
had made plans to knock on the heart of Japan
by bombarding its capital, Tokyo. After the attack
against Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt was looking for
to boost the morale of the people and in the light
events in the Philippines, he was now eager
to show the Americans and the Japanese that the Empire of the Rising Sun
was not invulnerable. [audio in English] Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, one of the most famous aviator
and American aeronautical engineer, had been chosen
to plan and execute the attack. In the past, Doolittle had won
many awards for his exploits
and had greatly contributed to the development of aeronautics. The mission
entrusted to him was a challenge which he did not have
yet faced. The main problem
faced by the Americans lay in the fact
that they had no basis hence a bomber
could take off to reach Tokyo. An attack could of course
be launched from an aircraft carrier, but the devices that were
on board would not have been able to cause a lot of damage. After a long reflection, we imagined adapting the big
B-25 bomber to make it light enough to take off from the deck of an aircraft carrier. At the beginning of April,
these highly modified planes were embarked on
the USS Hornet crossing the Pacific. Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher
was the commander of the aircraft carrier from which
Doolittle was going to launch his attack, while the Task Force that was going
penetrate enemy waters, was protected
by Vice Admiral William Halsey, aboard the USS Enterprise. Halsey had a serious
litigation with the Japanese. At the attack on Pearl Harbor, Halsey was delivering
planes on Wake Island and was
400 kilometers west of Hawaii. Warned of the attack, he swore to himself
to avenge the thousands of Americans killed on the naval base, and his determination
defeating the Japanese made his reputation. While the USS Hornet and
the USS Enterprise ventured to the gates of the Empire of the Rising Sun, Halsey had to face an imponderable
in his quest for revenge. On April 18, a Japanese ship spotted the fleet. warning signs
having been sent to Japan, there was now to be feared
that the Japanese planes do not take off to attack
the precious American aircraft carriers. Halsey decided
that the attack on Japan should start immediately. Crews aboard the USS Hornet
prepared their bombers. The planes had
less than 160 meters of bridge to take off, and none of the pilots,
including Doolittle, had never taken off from an aircraft carrier. Nobody had yet
never tried to launch a bomber the size of the B-25
from the deck of an aircraft carrier, which represented
to say the least quite a challenge. The rigorous training
that volunteer crews had received paid off, and the 16 loaded B-25s
explosive and incendiary bombs successfully took off. Due to the alert, it's 300 kilometers away
from the point planned for the launch they left the aircraft carrier. The weather was good
all the way and the bombers
rushed towards their target, Doolittle's plane in the lead. Six hours after takeoff,
the planes reached Tokyo at dusk and dropped their bombs
on the capital and its surroundings. They did not meet
almost no opposition. The impact of the raid was
exactly what Roosevelt was hoping for. The Japanese were
so shocked and surprised by this attack that the members of the staff
began to reproach each other. The Commander of the Defenses
aerial Tokyo, mortified and dishonored, ended his days. At the same time, units
Japanese fighters were repatriated and a group
naval aviation withdrawn from the Indian Ocean to protect territorial waters. As America celebrated
the pilots of the Doolittle raid as heroes, all those who had braved
the Japanese had not been able to return. Two crews were prisoners after they landed
in enemy territory, and three of these men
would be executed later. Doolittle, with his other crews,
had been helped by the military and civilians in eastern China who sheltered them
and ensured repatriation. They were going to pay dearly for it, because Japan then launched
a retaliatory campaign on the region which would lead to death
of nearly 250,000 Chinese peasants. The brutality of the reaction
reveals how much the attack on Tokyo had worn
damage to Japanese pride. Although the damage
caused by the raid were quite light, the only fact that US bombers
succeeded in reaching the heart of the country had great repercussions
on Japanese decisions about the next step
of the Pacific War. At the beginning of 1942, although the borders
of the Empire have grown, there were many disagreements within the Japanese command
regarding further operations. Admiral Osami Nagano,
Chief of the Naval Staff, was a strong supporter
the conquest of new territories. A strategy that also had
the full support of the Imperial Army. He preached so that the attack
following focuses on Australia, relatively isolated,
and who could possibly be used as a base by the Americans. The plan called for
that the Japanese forces seize
from Port Moresby in New Guinea and Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, to serve
Australia's base attack, then within reach
land-based aircraft. The Japanese started
to approach Australian territory. After grabbing
of New Britain, the biggest island
of New Guinea, in January 42, they had made the town of Rabaul
one of their main bases. The australians
recognized the danger to their country. In February 42, their fears were confirmed
when the Japanese planes, those of the Task Force
who had attacked Pearl Harbor, flew to
the north coast of Australia. As they approach their target,
Darwin Harbour, they were joined
by powerful bombers. This raid could have been as
devastating than the attack on Pearl Harbor. By seizing bases in
the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, Nagano hoped
further isolate Australia. The occupation of Port Moresby
and Tulagi not only ensured the defense of Rabaul,
but was going to facilitate the conquest of New Caledonia,
Fiji and Samoa. All lines
supply between the USA, Australia and New Zealand
would therefore be cut off. In Japan,
not all agreed with Nagano. Admiral Yamamoto,
who had planned the attack on Pearl Harbor, thought that rather than continuing
to conquer new territories, Japan should focus
on creating a strong defense of the new Empire. The Japanese had
inexhaustible natural resources who could
be transported from all territories conquered around the Pacific. The sea routes
between Japan and the occupied countries should be protected and that's why
that Yamamoto was impatient to eliminate the threat
of American intervention. The Japanese admiral knew
that the fact of not having destroyed American aircraft carriers
at Pearl Harbor was a mistake and that, to ensure survival
of the Empire and of Japan itself, it was essential
to finish what was started in december 41, that is to say
destroy the United States fleet. Yamamoto
began to devise a plan to attract American aircraft carriers
within range of the Japanese Task Force in view of a battle that would allow
the Japanese to have control throughout the Central Pacific. He chooses as his target
Midway Atoll, two small coral islands
located at the northwest end of the Hawaiian Islands chain. The US base that was there
was quite far from Hawaii to reduce the risk
than heavy bombers can come
threaten Japanese ships. On the other hand,
if no aircraft carriers were sent to protect the atoll, in case of capture, Midway would expand
Japan's perimeter defense and could even constitute
a forward base for launching attacks against the West Coast of the United States. Yamamoto, however, had not succeeded
to convince Admiral Nagano than an attack
against Midway had to take priority. Until April 18, 1942, preparations focused
on the advance south and Australia rather than an attempt
destruction of the American fleet. It wasn't until Jimmy Doolittle
launched his daring raid on Tokyo opinion changed
in favor of an attack on Midway. With growing fear
Japan is vulnerable air attacks,
the Prime Minister, General Tōjō, devoted his efforts
in defense of the Empire and elimination
of the American threat. However, in mid-April,
it was already too late to withdraw the forces that were preparing
to advance on Port Moresby and Tulagi. The Battle of Midway would have to wait. The advance towards Australia, code name: Operation Mo, was scheduled for early May. The entire campaign was under
the command of Yamamoto's protege, Admiral Inoue. He coordinated several groups
including an aircraft carrier strike force commanded by Vice Admiral Takagi, Tulagi's invasion force,
commanded by Vice Admiral Shima and the Port Moresby invasion force. What the Japanese did not know, is that the Americans
had broken their codes and that any radio link was intercepted by intelligence
Americans and British. Admiral Nimitz
was therefore informed of the imminence of an attack on Port Moresby. The news was processed
seriously by the American who knew that australia
became very vulnerable if the Japanese implanted
bases so close to the country. After consultation with Admiral
Ernest King at the head of the US Navy, it was decided that these attempts
of invasion had to be stopped by all aircraft carriers
that the Allies would collect. A fleet with
two groups of aircraft carriers was quickly assembled, including Task Force 17
based on the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, and Task Force 11
on the aircraft carrier USS Lexington. Vice Admiral Frank Fletcher,
who had already fought in the Pacific after the raids
on the Marshall and Gilbert Islands, was in February, appointed commanding officer of Yorktown
and responsible for the whole mission. Vice Admiral Aubrey Fitch
commanded the Lexington. Moreover, a strength
Australian-American, Task Force 44, commissioned by
Rear Admiral John Crace of the Royal Navy, would provide additional support. By navigating to
New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, the fleet had to face
rough seas and strong winds. There was no doubt
that all the men on board were ready
to withstand the worst storms if it was for the opportunity
to hit the Japanese hard. Whereas
aircraft carriers sailed west, planes
armed themselves for the attack, loaded with bombs, and the pilots
were ready for action. Ultimately,
on May 3, the news broke. Shima's Invasion Force
landed on the Solomon Islands. Japanese troops
advancing towards Tulagi, Fletcher modified
its northward trajectory. On May 4, 60 planes were launched
in three waves from Yorktown, taking strength
of Shima completely by surprise. The attack was a success. Three minehunters
and four seaplanes were hit. The Americans tried
to sink a large destroyer, but the Japanese
continued to hold Tulagi and were already working on the installation
from a seaplane base on the island. After inflicting
heavy damage to the Japanese fleet, Fletcher led his fleet
to the south to meet the ships by Crace and Fitch. Now the Japanese knew
the presence of American aircraft carriers in the area. Eager to accomplish
what Yamamoto hoped to do at Midway, Admiral Takagi sprang into action. He took his aircraft carriers
about 500 kilometers from the Solomon Islands and entered the Coral Sea
to confront the Allies. It was a journey into the unknown which would give rise
at the first meeting between aircraft carriers in history. One of the top US officers
said about of the Battle of the Coral Sea,
that she was without a doubt the most confusing battle
of the history of battles. reconnaissance planes
were sent by the Americans and the Japanese
to spot enemy ships, playing cat and mouse. In the confusion, planes opened
fire against their own strength, others tried
to land on enemy ships. Finally, on May 8,
the decisive battle took place. At about 8:20 a.m. that morning, everyone detected the presence
on the other almost simultaneously and planes
were launched urgently. The Japanese in a combined force, and each US aircraft carrier
in raids of separate attacks. Around 9:25 a.m.,
all the planes were in the air aircraft carriers
approached each other. Yorktown Planes
attacked around 11 a.m. and encountered 60 Japanese Zeros
which protected the aircraft carrier Shōkaku and her sistership. While the planes
were maneuvering in the sky, dodging air defense fire, the Shōkaku was hit
by a 1,000 pound bomb which caused significant damage
to its flight deck, and very quickly, after an attack
launched by planes from the Lexington, he was out of action. The Japanese counterattacked
and 14 planes crashed into the USS Lexington in a pincer movement. This one was hit
twice by torpedoes before dive bombers
do not touch the Yorktown Bridge. Fletcher's ship would survive, the lexington
wouldn't be so lucky. The bombs had
destroyed a fuel tank. Sparks ignited the fumes
that had accumulated in the ship. A drama series
explosions rang out, and the fire
quickly got out of control. Ships were approaching
to evacuate the crew, because more than 2,500 men
were looking to leave the Lexington. At this point in the battle, each adversary had suffered
considerable damage. The survivors
Americans were sheltered as the Japanese retreated. The battle was costly
for americans due to loss
of the USS Lexington, as well as other ships
and many devices. On a tactical level,
the Japanese had won the battle. The Battle of the Coral Sea
was going to have a positive consequence. The presence
of a significant allied force in the area and the damage
suffered by two aircraft carriers feared
to the Japanese the destruction of their landing craft
heading for Port Moresby to invade it. The attack was therefore postponed,
and with it the advance to the northern coasts of Australia. Nimitz's Mission
had therefore been a success. For now, Australia was saved. If the Japanese advance
in the South Pacific had been slowed down, in Southeast Asia, it continued. The British Orient Fleet
had already been driven out of the Indian Ocean, the empire of the rising sun
could extend its security perimeter a little further west. Japanese submarines
patrolling freely in the area, the Allies could not do
much to prevent the enemy to progress
again across Burma and to India, the jewel in the crown
of the British Empire in Asia. The British already had
lost a lot of territory and Winston Churchill
was particularly worried of this new threat. The Indian subcontinent was
under English control since 1858 and Churchill was reluctant
at the thought of losing a piece so precious to the Empire. His American ally,
President Roosevelt, had other concerns. Burma allowed
the passage of the supply in arms to China
and it was very important to keep it open
so that the Chinese leader, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, can continue to fight Japan, thus occupying
many enemy troops and preventing
their redeployment in the South Pacific. Roosevelt had affected
General Joseph Stilwell as chief of staff
for operations in China,
Burma and India. The fights
in Burma continued, but the Allies knew
it was a losing battle. Towards the end of April,
Lashio in northeast Burma had fallen,
thus cutting off the Burmese road, and Stilwell had no other choice
than to order an emergency evacuation. On May 6, the American general
began to retreat to India on foot, while
the British were trying to slow down the progress of the Japanese
before also heading to India. Any hope of keeping
Burma was now lost and this country, once invaded, protection
that he offered to India no longer existed. Churchill feared
to lose ground, but the Japanese
had no intention to invade India. At the end of May,
it became obvious than other more ambitious plans
occupied their staffs. Yamamoto was tweaking
preparing for the Battle of Midway who would score
the new stage of the war what was japan leading
against the American fleet. Although the superior
of Yamamoto, Admiral Nagano, has finally given its approval
for the Midway attack, disagreements persisted
between naval commanders. Nagano had decided
that Yamamoto would launch another attack at the same time as that of Midway, to seize
some uninhabited volcanic islands, located approximately 1,500 kilometers
west of the Alaska Peninsula. The Aleutian Islands
were far north of Midway and Yamamoto was aware
that this additional mission was going to extend
its battle zone disproportionately. Nagano couldn't be deterred. The Aleutian Islands had no
not a strong economic interest, neither military nor strategic,
because of their barren soil and mountainous and their harsh climate. On the other hand, seize it extended
the Japanese defense lines, and allowed to control
navigation on the North Pacific. there was hope
that this second attack, away from Midway,
serves as a diversion by leading the deployment
American ships in the north, thereby weakening
the main US fleet. Yamamoto eventually finds
some advantages to the nagano plan and, though reluctant,
agreed to the extension of the battle zone,
including the islands near Alaska. The Japanese admiral was to coordinate a spectacular operation. He worked to collect
the largest fleet never having crossed the Pacific. The surprise effect would constitute
an important feature Yamamoto's plan. He therefore divided his immense
armada into four distinct groups, so that Americans
can't have a clue of the power of the Japanese fleet
when the battle would begin. The first strength
air strike was conducted by Admiral Chūichi Nagumo, who had driven
the attack on Pearl Harbor a few months earlier, and who had also succeeded in forcing
the English to abandon the Indian Ocean after his attacks
against their fleet at the beginning of 42. Nagumo meanwhile, had to act
in close support of the invasion force of Midway ordered
by Vice Admiral Kondo. During this time, main strength
who followed the other two and was conducted
by Yamamoto himself, was to attack aircraft carriers
Americans once lured into the area. Finally, the fourth
section of the fleet, Force Nord, had to be separated from the rest
and rush north and the Aleutians before it starts
the Battle of Midway. Unfortunately for Yamamoto, the disposition of his forces was
to be the main failure of his plan, because the groups would be
too far apart to support each other. Yamamoto's Ships
were going to sail 500 kilometers behind Nagano's ships and prove to be of ineffective help
when the Americans would defend themselves. During this time,
across the Pacific, intelligence unit
US Navy fighter at Pearl Harbor had one more time
deciphered the Japanese codes. All efforts of Yamamoto
to create a diversion were going to be in vain. In May 42,
Admiral Nimitz received confirmation that Midway was
the new target of the Japanese. He even had
of their order of battle as well as dates of the attack
which was scheduled for June 4 or 5. The Imperial Fleet sped to Midway unaware that his mission
was known to the enemy. US forces
were preparing for the Japanese offensive. Midway was a place
important in defense from the west coast of America, and after the raid
against the Hawaiian base, Americans should
make sure they were ready. Unlike the Japanese, they benefited from the fact that Midway could be used
as a launch pad and that from Hawaii, new planes had been sent, thereby increasing the power
air and site defence. Aircraft carriers were also put
helping to protect Midway. Fletcher's Task Force 17 was withdrawn
of the Coral Sea. Although severely damaged,
the Yorktown had survived the battle. After his return
in Pearl Harbor on May 27, shipyard workers had worked
24 hours a day to fix it so that he is ready
to go defend Midway. Task Force 16
with the aircraft carriers Hornet and Enterprise was already ready for Pearl Harbor. Admiral Halsey wasn't enough
valid to take part in the battle. He was replaced
by Admiral Raymond Spurance who was going to operate
under the command of Admiral Fletcher. Mobilizing as many men as possible
of the Army as of the Navy, Nimitz appealed
to image professionals so that the events of Midway
be filmed and photographed. On this occasion, director John Ford,
who knew Nimitz very well, was going to turn one
of the most famous scenes of the battle. Towards the end of May,
everything possible to do for preparing
to the battle had been done. The defenses were in place and US forces
couldn't do more what to watch and wait for
the Japanese offensive begins. Air Corps units
searched the sky looking for first signs
of the Japanese attack, while at sea, Yamamoto and his armada
were approaching the naval base. Conversely
Americans, the Japanese had a weakness
idea of what they would face. They thought that only two aircraft carriers,
the USS Enterprise and the USS Hornet, would be available to defend Midway. They were indeed convinced
that the USS Yorktown had been sunk during the battle
of the Coral Sea. Underestimate
the power of their opponents would turn out to be a tragic mistake. In fact, the Japanese
were facing not two, but with three embarked groups,
and the challenge that awaited them was going to be harder
than Yamamoto had imagined. From May 30,
American observation planes were launched from Midway,
in search of the enemy fleet. After scrutinizing
the sea for days, Imperial Navy ships
were spotted. The alarm is sounding over the Midway Archipelago
in the early hours of June 4, when Nagumo ordered
to its dive bombers, its torpedo boats,
and its Zero fighters to launch the attack
against the American base. Less than two hours later,
the slaughter was beginning. American planes flown
by Marines, took off in an emergency to intercept the attack
and destroyed many planes while undergoing
severe losses. During this time,
Nagumo's dive bombers swept over the island
and his defenders on the ground who were waiting for them. The anti-aircraft proved to be much more formidable
than the Japanese expected. The base was plunged into chaos. Bombs were raining down on the island, destroying tanks
fuel and aircraft hangars, but the defenders
were still firing at the attackers. As soon as the first attack
against the island ended, the Americans counter-attacked. Two torpedo boat squadrons
rushed towards the Japanese aircraft carriers. Without escort fighters,
they were easy prey for zeros,
and practically all of them were slaughtered. Waves of American attacks
continued, cornering the Japanese, more busy defending
their ships than to launch a raid against the American fleet. US planes
then broke through the Japanese defences. The Enterprise Air Group
hit two aircraft carriers, including that of Nagumo,
while planes from Yorktown attacked a third. Soon there was only one left
operational Japanese aircraft carrier who counterattacked
launching a wave of bombers in a dive against the Yorktown. Compared to the Japanese aircraft carrier,
the Yorktown was better prepared for the fight. He immediately launched his hunters
to intercept enemy aircraft. Many
Japanese planes were shot down and Yorktown was hit
by bombs several times. The fires were quickly brought under control
and fighter take-offs continued. A second wave of Japanese bombers
was heading towards the American aircraft carrier. Admiral Spurance
launched a decisive attack against the Japanese fleet
with 40 dive bombers. In less than an hour, they spotted
the last Japanese aircraft carrier. Despite his efforts
desperate to resist, american planes
dealt him a fatal blow. It caught fire and sank. By the end of the day he was
clear that Yamamoto's plan had been a failure. Human losses
were high and many planes had been lost to the enemy. There was no other option
than call off the invasion of Midway. Four aircraft carriers
Japanese had been destroyed. This was going to have serious
consequences for the Imperial Navy, because the balance of naval power
leaning now in favor of America. The US Navy had also suffered
on its side severe losses. Yorktown,
flagship of Task Force 17, who had played a decisive role
in the Coral Sea and Midway, was not going to survive. After being hit
by torpedoes, his crew was forced
abandoned for fear of capsizing. After receiving a fatal blow
of a Japanese submarine, the Yorktown sank on 7 June. The Americans lost 300 men
during the Battle of Midway and the Japanese about 2,000. There was no doubt
than the Americans had taken away
a great victory. soldiers and sailors
wounded were treated and the survivors laid to rest. President Roosevelt congratulated
those who had courageously confronted the enemy, and declared that the Battle of Midway
halted the Japanese advance. The same was not true further north. The forces heading
to the Aleutians were going to be more successful
than Nagumo's fleet at Midway. June 3 and 4,
these aircraft carriers launched attacks against both bases
soldiers from the Unalaska Islands. Bothered by bad weather,
the planes caused little damage, but on June 6 and 7,
the troops landed at Kiska Island and Attu Island,
and established bases there. These bases placed
the Japanese at the gates of US territory. Fearing that attacks
are launched against the west coast, all precautions were taken
to defend the national territory. Although a resounding victory
was won at Midway, it was obvious
that the war against Japan was far from over. The following months
were going to prove how the battle against
the Empire of the Rising Sun would be tough. Frozen territories
from the Aleutian Islands to the impenetrable jungles
of New Guinea and the Solomons, some of the toughest fights
of World War II remained to be won, and the Pacific War
was only in its infancy.
