![]() Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect of the Midway operation, had developed a typically complicated plan for the invasion of Midway atoll. Midway, however, saw a few aircraft arguably turn the tide of war in the Pacific, showing that the airplane could inflict damage far in excess of its cost relative to a battleship.Īdm. Chuichi Nagumo, whose caution left Pearl Harbor’s submarine base, ship repair facilities, and tank farm intact, and who six months later would lose his carriers at Midway. While both sides were bloodied, the intent of the operation for the Japanese, an invasion of Port Moresby, was called off because they no longer had enough aircraft to cover their planned landing.Īdm. Coral Sea can be argued to have ended as a tactical victory for the Japanese and a strategic victory for the Allies. The two Japanese carriers each could carry 84 aircraft, but at the end of the battle only 39 survived. More importantly, the Japanese fleet carrier Zuikaku was heavily damaged and would be laid up for months, and her sister Shokaku, though undamaged, had lost most of her air group. The Japanese lost the light carrier Shoho sunk, plus a cruiser and assorted minesweepers and smaller craft. ![]() ![]() Needless to say, most of the Pacific Fleet’s battleships were being repaired and salvaged after being sunk at Pearl Harbor. The fleet carrier Yorktown was also heavily damaged. Navy had lost the fleet carrier Lexington, fleet oiler Neosho, and destroyer Sims. The Battle of the Coral Sea weeks before had been notable as the first clash of battle fleets conducted entirely through aircraft, without the ships of either opposing fleet ever making contact with each other. ![]() Four of those six would be lost at Midway. The Japanese carrier fleet for the attack on Pearl Harbor consisted of Akagi, Kaga, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Soryu, and Hiryu. Japanese aircraft, including Aichi D3A1 Vals, warm up on the deck of an unidentified Japanese carrier before launching. ![]()
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