Battle of Midway
Midway Atoll
What happened
U.S. Admiral Chester Nimitz, with carrier commanders Raymond Spruance and Frank Jack Fletcher, fought the Japanese fleet of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and Admiral Chūichi Nagumo. Yamamoto planned to capture Midway Atoll and lure the American aircraft carriers into a trap. But American codebreakers led by Joseph Rochefort figured out that 'AF' in Japanese messages meant Midway, so the U.S. carriers were waiting. While the Japanese carriers were rearming and refuelling their planes, American dive bombers struck, and four Japanese carriers were sunk, while the U.S. lost the carrier Yorktown.
Why it matters
Result: American victory. Leader: Chester Nimitz / Frank Jack Fletcher. Why it matters: Japan could not easily replace the lost carriers and skilled pilots. Midway is often called the turning point of the Pacific War.
What came next
Two months later, U.S. Marines landed on Guadalcanal, the first major Allied land offensive against Japan.
Did you know?
American codebreakers worked out that 'AF' in Japanese messages meant Midway, so the U.S. carriers were waiting.
Timeline
- Before the battleU.S. codebreakers confirm Midway is the target.
- 4 June 1942American dive bombers sink Japanese carriers.
- 7 June 1942The battle ends with a U.S. victory.
- 7 August 1942U.S. Marines land on Guadalcanal.