The Battle Of Midway: America Turns The Tide In the Pacific
Thesis
Scene on board USS Yorktown (CV-5), shortly after she was hit by three Japanese bombs on 4 June 1942. Dense smoke is from fires in her uptakes, caused by a bomb that punctured them and knocked out her boilers. Couertesy to Naval History and Heritage Command.
The Battle of Midway, fought on June 4th 1942, was a major turning point in World War ll marking a shift in the pacific theater favoring the allies. This changed the course of the war halting japanese expansion, leading to the method of island hopping, and the eventual defeat of the japanese empire.
“They had no right to win. Yet they did, and in doing so they changed the course of a war…even against the greatest of odds, there is something in the human spirit—a magic blend of skill, faith, and valor—that can lift men from certain defeat to incredible victory.”
-Walter lord
US fighter planes over Midway Island, a strategic airbase in the Pacific, which the Japanese fleet attacked in early June 1942 Courtesy to Bettman
Atrition - the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure.
Before the Battle Of Midway, the American military knew Japan maintainde the advantage in the number of aircraft carriers they could bring to battle. Since America was fighting a war on two fronts, America only had three aircraft carriers they could bring to the fight. The US navy had 7 aircraft carriers to begin the war in both Europe and the Pacific. Heading into the battle only 3 carriers were avaible for the fight; the Enterprise, the Hornet and the Yorktown. The Yorktown was only made avaible after a remarkable 48 hours worth of repairs that should of taken 3 months. 1400 workmen prepared the ship for battle to minimine the Japanese advantage. Our Adrimals understood that if they could take the Japanese aircraft carriers out of the war it would give America an advantage in the war. The reason being that America had the ability to replace any losses sustained during battle was because theyre economy was 10 times bigger. Also, The United States had the availbilty of more important natural resources such as oil, metal, and rubber.