The Battle in the Pacific

Coral Sea and Midway

Mallory Loeffler

Who, What, When?Who was involved?

The United States and Japan

What caused the battles?Coral Sea: Japanese

tried to take control of Port Moresby, New Guinea

Midway: Japanese tried to take over Midway, the US naval base.

When was the battles?Coral Sea started May

4-8, 1942Midway started June 4,

1942

Where and Why?Where did the battles

take place?Coral Sea: took place

in Coral Sea along the Solomon Island chain.

Midway- took place in the naval base Midway

Why did the battles take place?The battles took place

after the attack of Pearl Harbor.

Also, Japan tried to take over New Guinea and Midway.

The Battle of Coral SeaThe battle began May 4 and ended May 8 in

Coral SeaJapanese planned to take control of southern New

Guinea. So, the allies gathered a fleet to attack.

Coral Sea was the first battle that warships did not see each otherAirplanes attacked enemy warships.

In the end it was a draw but ended up being a victory for the US Japan didn’t attack New Guinea

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g10000/g11916.jpg

A great explosion on the USS Lexington May 8, 1942. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g10000/g17031.jpg

Japanese airplane Shokaku attacked by USS Yorktown on May 8, 1942.

Coral Sea pictures

The Battle Of MidwayCommander of Japanese forces, Admiral

Yamamoto planned to attack Midway.If the US lost Midway, Hawaii’s closest naval base

would be California.

But US commander Chester Nimitz knew about Japanese plans.They got Japanese messages.

The attacks started June 4, 1942.Japan faced a major defeat, ending the

advancement of the Japanese.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g450000/g457861.jpg

the burning Japanese cruiser Mikuma on June 6, 1942.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g30000/g32217.jpg

The USS Trout returns to Pearl Harbor June 14th.

Battle of Midway

Significance to the WarCoral Sea Midway

1. first time having warships never seeing each other.

2. The Allies first time they stopped Japanese from advancing

3. Known as “the war that saved Australia”

1. Turning point: permanently ending the advancement of Japan.

2. Known as being “one of the highest points of American Arms” (The unknown battle of Midway)

OverviewThe battle of Coral Sea and Midway were major

battles in the Pacific.The battle of Coral Sea started because the Japanese

tried to take over New Guinea and the Battle of Midway occurred because the Japanese wanted control of Midway, hoping if they took over the island the closest naval base would be California.

Because the US won, it stopped the Japanese from trying to take over other areas in the Pacific.

QuestionsQ1: What battle was the first to fight without seeing

the other warships?

Q2: What caused the Battle of Coral Sea?

Q3: Why did Yamamoto want to take over Midway?

AnswersA1: The battle of Coral Sea.

A2: Japan tried to take control of New Guinea.

A3: Without Midway, Hawaii’s closest naval base would be in California

Work Cited

Book:Kernan, Alvin. The Unknown Battle of Midway. Yale University: Yale University Press, 2005. Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Textbook:Lapsansky-Werner, Emma J. Roberts, Randy. Levy, Peter B. Taylor, Alan. United States History Reconstruction to the Present. Boston: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008. Pearson Education Inc.

Website: Del. Battle of Coral Sea: summary. http://www.delsjourney.com/uss_neosho/coral_sea/battle_of_coral_sea/summary.htm. 29 March 2010.