Aftermath and Impact

The Battle of Midway

Losses at Midway

The Japanese lost all four aircraft carriers that went to Midway, which were Akagi, Hiryu, Soryu, and Kaga. They also lost a cruiser. The U.S. lost one destroyer and one aircraft carrier, the USS Yorktown.

320 Japanese aircraft and about 3,000 soldiers were lost. The United States lost 150 aircraft and 317 soldiers. Overall, the Japanese had a greater loss at Midway,

Japan retreated before it could rescue many survivors. The United States rescued several engineers from Hiryu, which they interrogated.

A Japanese naval loss like this had not happened since 1592. The Japanese were not able to invade Fiji, New Caledonia, or Samoa due to the losses from Midway.

". . . Some of the big dogs in the Navy got a pretty good understanding that we cleaned their plow pretty well and things were gonna look a lot better than anticipated."
~ Bill Norberg, a yeoman aboard the USS Enterprise

United States Navy. "Battle of Midway, June 1942." Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/wars-and-events/world-war-ii/midway/80-G-414423.html

Midway: The Turning Point

Before the Battle of Midway, the Japanese Empire was expanding strongly across the Pacific. However, the Battle of Midway challenged, if not ended, the major Japanese offensive. The Battle of Midway was an important step for the United States to begin regaining control of the Pacific, shifting the power dynamic in the Allies' favor.

"It was the opinion of most of the officers that the loss of the aircraft carriers during the summer of 1942 stopped the expansion because we did not have air cover."
~ Captain H. Ohara, executive officer of Soryu

Air Control

The Pacific is vast with lots of ocean to cover. Aircraft carriers provided planes that could easily traverse and attack over the open waters. Whenever Japan lost four aircraft carriers at Midway, it lost a lot of its potential to send planes out and preserve its offensive strategy.

United States Navy. "Battle of Midway, June 1942." Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/wars-and-events/world-war-ii/midway/80-G-312000.html

Going Forward

The power shift that Midway caused led to some battles and offensive fronts later in the war. As the Allies went on the offensive, they pushed for the Phillippines, the Japanese home islands, and the China/India/Burma theater. The push towards the Japanese home islands took the shape of an island-hopping campaign.

On September 2, 1945, after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered on the USS Missouri. This marked the end of World War II.