What happened in the Battle of Midway?

Answer 1

The Japanese were trying to capture the island for use as an air base supporting operations against Hawaii. They also hoped to draw the U.S. Pacific fleet into a battle where it could be destroyed. The U.S. had broken their codes though, so they knew they were coming but they didn't know the U.S. knew. So The U.S. were able to deploy three aircraft carriers against their four (they also had battleships and a large invasion fleet) but they didn't know the U.S. was there. Thus, after they bombed the island, when their planes were sitting on their decks being refueled and reloaded, US planes found them and attacked. All four of their carriers wewr sunk. They attacked the USS Yorktown twice, thinking it was two different ships, and she had to be scuttled after the battle. It proved that the Japanese could be defeated in the Pacific Campaign, Turning the tide of war to the Japanese. Here are some particular facts about the Battle of Midway: * The first attack on 4 June, took place when the four night-flying PBYs attacked the Japanese transports northwest of Midway with one PBY torpedoing fleet tanker Akebono Maru. * During the battle, Japanese destroyers had picked up three U.S. naval aviators from the water. After interrogation, however, all three Americans were executed. * The last air attacks of the battle took place on 6 June when dive-bombers from Enterprise and Hornet bombed and sank heavy cruiser Mikuma. * It ended Japan's dominant naval power over the U.S. The balance of sea power in the Pacific shifted from the Japan to equity between America and Japan, and soon after the U.S. and their allies took sole control of the waters in the mid Pacific. * Although the performance of the three American carrier air groups would later be considered uneven, their pilots and crew had won the day through courage, determination, and heroic sacrifice.

Answer 2

This was the turning point in the war in the Pacific against Japan during World War 2. The Japanese had overwhelming superiority in ships and aircraft but one of the primary reasons for their defeat, was the breaking of the Japanese Naval code! We knew their plans and were able to devise operational plans to counter their moves. The Japanese also didn't know where all 3 of our aircraft carriers were and they ended up making catastrophic decisions. The Japanese lost 4 of their carriers and hundreds of their aircraft. Even more significant, they lost many of their best pilots during the battle. We lost one aircraft carrier, the Yorktown I believe. The Japanese defeat signalled to the allies but especially to the United States, that we could defeat the Japanese empire!