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The Battle of Midway

Goals
Japan
Access to resources
East Indies Oil
Extend buffer
Protection from Europeans
in China
Expanded buffer around
home islands
Counter American power
United States
Access to resources/markets
Stop Japanese expansion
Consolidate Pacific power
Leaders
United States Japan
Admiral Chester Nimitz Admiral Isoroku Yamamato
Commander in Chief of Commander In Chief:
Pacific Fleet Japanese Imperial Navy
Developed strategy Developed Midway strategy
Admiral Frank J. Fletcher Admiral Chuichi Nagumo
Coordinated strikes on Commander First Carrier
carriers Strike Fleet
Admiral William Halsey Jr. Admiral Nobutake Kondo
Commander of Enterprise Commander of Japanese
task force invasion fleet
Missed battle due to illness
Admiral Raymond Spruance
Commander Task Force 16
Battle of the Coral Sea
May 4-8. 1942
Japanese sought control of the
Coral Sea; Planned attack on
Port Moresby, New Guinea,
Rear Admiral Frank J.
Fletcher commanded carrier
attack on Japanese forces
Japanese losses prevented
invasion of Port Moresby
Strategic Allied victory.
Important impact upon
the Battle of Midway because
Japanese forces were
diminished
Why Midway?
Air and Navy base
Air cover for naval units
Air cover for Merchant
shipping
Protection of trade routes
Link in transpacific submarine
communications cable
Cable allowed
communication between US
and forces in
Guam/Philippines
Important stopover for
aviation
Linked US to Philippines
Battle Timeline
Battle of the Coral First Strike Counter-attack Carrier attacks Japanese Counter- Final Strike
Sea attack

Make a timeline of the important historical


events
May 7 to 8, 1942 June 4; 6 a.m. June 4, 7 a.m. June 4, 9:00 to June 4, noon to June 4, 4:58 p.m.
10:30 a.m. 2:28 p.m

First naval battle Japanese planes Harassing attacks Hornets torpedo Hiryu aircraft Dive bombers
fought by aircraft. bombed Midways on Japanese fleet planes attack, attack Yorktown. from Enterprise,
USS Lexington installations. The by Midway based forcing the Heavily damaged, including leftovers
sunk, Yorktown Japanese strike aircraft. Japanese enemy to turn Yorktown scuttled. from Yorktown,
damaged. Japan- leader called for a fleet dispersed. away from the attack and cripple
Shoho sunk, second strike. wind. Enterprise Hiryu. Japanese
Shokaku damaged, attacked Hiryu, scuttle Hiryu the
Zuikaku lost air Kaga, Soryu and next morning.
group. Akagi. Only
Hiryu survives.
Japanese
commanders
unsure whether
to attack Midway
or US carrier
fleet.
Implications
Halted Japanese advance
US gained the initiative
Japan could only react to
American advances, could not
initiate offensives
Severely depleted Japanese
Navy
Increased Allied morale
worldwide
Discussion Points
Why was the Coral Sea important to Midway?
Was American strategy better? Or were they just
luckier?
What do you think was the most important
reason that the islands were so valuable?
Is the importance of the battle overstated?
Why did the battle have an enormous impact on
morale?
Are the Midway Islands as important today?

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