BATTLE OF MIDWAY

Between 10.20am and 10.25am on Thursday 4 June 1942, Japan lost the Second World War. It took another three brutal years for them to concede, but those five minutes of intense activity made defeat inevitable.

Japan’s war in the Pacific had begun with almost incomprehensible speed and success. On 7 December 1941, they launched strikes and landings all across the Central and Western Pacific. Due to their war in China few land forces were available, but the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was a tremendous force multiplier. Fleets moved rapidly to support operations over vast areas, and the powerful and flexible strike capability of aircraft carriers was crucial to their success. By March 1942, one quarter of the Pacific Ocean had fallen to Japan. Although there was still fighting in New Guinea, all other land masses north of that island as far as Japan itself were secure.

With control of the Western Pacific and much of South East Asia, Japan now had two objectives. First, isolate Australia and New Zealand to prevent them forming bases for an Allied counter-offensive. Second, to secure the open eastern flank. The first objective was foiled in early May 1942 at the Battle of the Coral Sea. A tactical draw – both