The Battle of Midway took place from June 4-7, 1942 in the Pacific Theater of World War 2. The Japanese aimed to draw out and destroy the remaining U.S. carriers to take control of Midway Atoll. However, U.S. codebreakers had cracked Japan's naval code and warned of their plan. In a major turning point, U.S. dive bombers surprised the Japanese fleet on June 4th, sinking four aircraft carriers in under 5 minutes. While the U.S. lost the carrier Yorktown, Japan suffered heavy losses that ended their offensive capabilities in the Pacific, shifting the war's momentum in favor of the Allies.

1. Battle of Midway WWII June 4-7 1942

2. Who Was Involed Japan: Japanese Commanders; Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo (First Air Fleet) Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (First Combined Fleet) United States: U.S Navy Commanders: Admiral Chester Nimitz (U.S Pacific Fleet) Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance (Task Force 16) Rear Adm9iral Frank J. Fletcher (Task Force 17) Torpedoes -Destroyers Submarines (Japan) Dive bombers Cruisers Aircraft carriers Scouts Cargo ships

3. Before The Battle Yamamoto’s Plan: Six months after Pearl Harbour attack, Japanese Admiral Yamamoto planned was to invade the island of Midway so he can draw the remaining US Pacific Fleet into battle. Thirteen hundred miles northeast of Hawaii is where Midway is located. Yamamoto knew the Americans would send remaining aircraft carriers to protect he island. Believed America only has two carriers left so he sent many more of his ships. Nimitz’s Response: Was aware Japan will invade again. His team of secret coding cryptanalysts (computer hijacks/radio interceptors) who broke the Japanese Naval code, provided outline of Japan's plan of attack. Nimitz dispatched Admiral Raymond and his fleet to Midway before the Japanese. They would set up a surprise attack on Japan that Yamamoto wasn’t aware of. Japan Invasion Formation: Forward Patrol: 16 subs Aircrafts: 4 aircraft carriers carrying. Invasion: -12 cargo ships -> escorted by 2 battleships, 6 cruisers, and many destroyers . Battleships: -7 battleships Diversion Force: -4 cargo ships -2 heavy cruisers -2 light aircraft carriers American Formation: 3 aircraft carriers USS Yorktown (3 rd aircraft carrier) escorted by heavy cruisers and destroyers. -115 fighters and 115 bombers -American subs

4. June 4th: Starting of the Battle At 6am to 7am, Americans set course to midway for the response earlier in the morning. A aircraft spotted two Japanese aircraft carriers. So they set course southwest to intercept the oncoming Japanese fleet. The American aircrafts were launched to attack the two carriers spotted. Six formations; 3 bombers formation; 3 torpedoes formation with the total of 116 to attack. June 4 th , at 4:30am, Admiral Nagumo launched 108 aircrafts to attack the island and seven scout planes to locate American fleet. Midway was bombed but the runways were not disabled. Some American fighters took action shooting down 30 Japanese aircraft but 15 American were shot down. Nagumo still does not know American aircraft carriers are nearby ready to attack. At 8:28am a Japanese patrol spotted the American carriers position and course. Nagumo ordered for all of his fleet to rearm and wait for the Americans At 9am Nagumo changed course to intercept the Americans. As a result the formations of the Amercican wave of attack got separated, lost, or was unescorted by fighter aircrafts. Murderous kills wiped out the American assault. At 10:24am the last attacked plan failed with heavy losses with no damage on the Japanese.

5. The Dramatic Few Minutes Of Change During the last murderous killings of the assault, Americans took no caution on their ships to cast out all the aircrafts that’s left before the Japanese attack again. About 100 aircrafts were rushed to the air. But the hope was on the dive bombers who were looking for the Japanese Carriers. At 10:26am, the dive bombers spotted the Japanese carriers who were about to launch their attack. Luckily, the Japanese carrier aircrafts were in low altitude and left the open kill on the carriers. Thirty seven dive bombers attacked and set 2 aircraft carriers into flames. Few minutes later 17 more dive bombers attacked another carrier. In just a few minutes… Nagumo lost 3 of his 4 aircraft carriers.

6. Till The End The last Japanese carrier still stands and still wanted to fight. Forty aircraft torpedo bombers were launched an attack on one of the American carriers (Yorktown). Fighters tried to protect it but failed at 14:45pm when it was hit and sunk by a sub later on. Japanese suffered heavy loss sinking Yorktown. In response the Americans set off the dive bombers again. Twenty-four dive bombers were launched at 15:40pm. At 17:00 the last Japanese carrier had sunk. Admiral Yamamoto still continued to fight since they still greatly outnumbered the Americans. But he later retreated when the American aircrafts were too strong to strong for them.

7. Aftermath U.S Losses 340 killed Aircraft Carrier USS Yorktown Destroyer (escorting Yorktown) USS Hammann 145 aircrafts Japanese Losses -3057 killed -All four aircraft carriers -Heavy Cruiser Mikuma -288 aircrafts Heroes & Key Decisions -The Admirals, especially when Nimitz attacked the Japanese aggressively. -Nimitz secret naval coders who got the Japanese outline of attacking Midway. Without them the Americans would have had a surprise attack again. -When Nagumo finally noticed the American aircraft carriers, he had a important key decision. To send a attack right away or refit and rearm while trying to trap the Americans. He chose to rearm that caused a heavy loss on the Americans when they attacked. If he would of attacked the results would have been different. - Lt. Dick Best who found and led the dive bomber formation to the Japanese aircraft carriers that suck in minutes. He also sunk the last aircraft carrier.

8. Importance of Battle ******This battle represented one of the decisive, highest strategic battles in ww2 & the turning point of war in the Pacific. It effectively destroyed Japan’s naval strength that caused them to retreat and be defensive. All their offensive operations are dead because Japan could not recover for what has been lost. This was able to allow U.S marines in august to start their operations to Tokyo. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/midway/midway.htm http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwari1/p/Midway.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRmAfPCvn6E&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKXVTZo6gIg http://www.2worldwar2.com/battle-of-midway.htm