Asia Pacific 1942: Battle of Midway
7 June 1942
7 Jun 1942
Battle of Midway
Both the Doolittle Raid and the Battle of the Coral Sea emphasized the threat US air power still posed to Japan. To deny the US its air bases and draw out its outnumbered navy, the Japanese overran central China, invaded the Aleutian Islands and launched an attack on Midway Island. Unfortunately for the Japanese, the Americans had cracked their codes, and it was the smaller US fleet that prevailed at Midway, sinking Japan's aircraft carrier force.
