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Battle of the Coral

In the first seven months after the Japanese, at a surprisingly low cost, had gained control over a huge area extending from Burma to the Gilbert Islands and from the Aleutians to the Solomons. While the Japanese enjoyed the advantage of interior lines of communication, they had somewhat overextended themselves. Once the Allies became strong enough to threaten their perimeter from several directions, the advantage would be lost, since Japan did not have and could not produce enough planes and ships to defend in force at all points. In view of this danger, the Japanese prepared plans for an attack against the still weak Allied line of communications from the continental and to Australia and for further expansion in the South Pacific. In May 1942 they launched a new offensive, moving to Tulagi from the northern Solomons, after which they began building an airstrip at Lunga Point on Guadalcanal. From there they hoped to disrupt the Allied line to Australia by seizing New Caledonia, the , and . At the same time, to give added protection to , they moved into western New Britain and northeastern New Guinea. (Orders for invasions of New Caledonia, the Fijis, and Samoa were cancelled on July 11, 1942.) The Japanese suffered their first major setback when they attempted an invasion by sea of Port Moresby on the southeastern coast of New Guinea. Allied naval units intercepted the invading Japanese naval force in the Coral Sea on May 7-8, 1942. This was a clash between carrier task forces in which the surface ships did not exchange a shot. Most serious of the losses were the U.S. carrier Lexington and the Japanese carrier Shoho, while both sides suffered heavy losses in planes. After two days of fighting, the Japanese broke off the engagement and withdrew northward. Together with the Battle of Midway, the Coral Sea marked an important turning point in in . http://www.worldwar2history.info/Coral-Sea/ C4

U.S. Fights Back

US Rebuilds Navy • Massive fleet of aircraft carriers and – built in Bay Area • New idea: fighter planes launched from ships! US bombers surprise attack capital of • April 1942 • Fire damage, Japanese surprised & worried Battle of Coral Sea • May 1942 • A “tie”, but first time Japan is stopped

Battle of Midway (-6, 1942) The decisive naval battle of World War II, turning America's losing fight into a domination over the Japanese Navy. In early June of 1942, despite Japan's military superiority, America handed the a crushing blow in the North Pacific, near Midway Island. Although the Japanese did not learn until too late, their planned sneak attack at Midway had been discovered much earlier when America had deciphered the Japanese code. Yamamoto's intentions were to invade Midway Island and the Aleutian chain off Alaska. However these fixed strategies allowed the American forces, headed by Chester C. Nimitz, a more flexible attack plan. With such knowledge America had the distinct advantage of suprise, but were still highly outgunned. The Japanese fleet was massive, 200 ships in all, including 8 carriers, 11 battleships, 22 , 65 , and 21 . America had three carriers with 233 airplanes and no battleships. But as America struck out swiftly, Japan suffered the loss of one heavy , four fleet carriers, and 330 aircraft-- most of which sat idly on the decks of their respective carriers. America lost only 150 aircraft and one carrier. The battle unfolded as so: Japan still believed they had a successful sneak attack in progress, and ordered their dive bombers to attack Midway island (an American base). While all the readied aircraft were away at the island, the still undiscovered American fleet launched their attack on the Japanese carriers. Despite the suprise 35 of the 41 launched aircraft were shot down in the first round, but then the second wave hit with no opposition. Three Japanese carriers sank in one hour. For the remainder of the day the Yorktown (US Carrier) and the Hiryu (Japanese carrier) pounded on one another, until both had to be abandoned.

Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/18106/ C4

Battle of Midway

US Airfield on island

Code intercepted: Japanese Attack! • Japan sends largest naval fleet ever US plans ambush: • Let Japanese send planes to attack island • US sends planes to attack defenseless ships! MASSIVE defeat to Japanese • Japanese official: US has “avenged Pearl Harbor”

C4 Battle of Guadalcanal On 7 December 1941, Imperial Japanese forces turned their war on the Asian mainland eastward and southward into the Pacific with simultaneous attacks on Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, Wake, Guam, Hong Kong, and the Malay Peninsula. The rapid southward advance of Japanese armies and naval task forces in the following months found Western leaders poorly prepared for war in the Pacific. Nevertheless,they conferred quickly and agreed that, while maintaining the "German first" course they had set against the Axis, they also had to blunt Japanese momentum and keep open lines of communication to Australia and New Zealand. As the enemy closed on those two island democracies, the Allies scrambled to shore up defenses, first by fortifying the Malay Barrier, and then, after Japanese smashed through that line, by reinforcing an Australian drive north across New Guinea. To make this first Allied offensive in the Pacific more effective, the Americans mounted a separate attack from a different direction to form a giant pincers in the Southwest Pacific. This decision brought American forces into the Solomon Islands and U.S. Army troops onto the island of Guadalcanal. Of all enemy strong points in the South Pacific, that on Guadalcanal appeared most threatening because it lay closest to Australia and to the South Pacific ferry route. If the Americans were going to blunt the Japanese advance into the South Pacific, Guadalcanal would have to be the place, for no other island stood between the Solomons and Australia. Victory on Guadalcanal brought important strategic gains to the Americans and their Pacific allies but at high cost. These gains cost the Americans 1,592 killed in action and 4,183 wounded, with thousands more disabled for varying periods by disease. Entering the campaign after the amphibious phase, the two Army divisions lost 550 killed and 1,289 wounded. For the Japanese, Battle of Guadalcanal losses were even more traumatic: 14,800 killed in battle, another 9,000 dead from disease, and about 1,000 taken prisoner. On Guadalcanal General Aug 1942-Feb 1943 Hyakutake's troops gave American fighting men a chilling introduction to the character of the Japanese US Marines try to stop Japan from soldier in this war: willing to fight to the death rather building air base on Guadalcanal Island than surrender. Both navies lost twenty-four ships during the campaign but with a smaller industrial base to replace them, Japanese losses were more Japanese defend island to the death significant. Even more costly to Japan was the loss of over six hundred aircraft and pilots. 6 months of fighting, but US Wins Source: http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/72- 8/72-8.htm •Brutal, bloody, terrible conditions

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