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The Battle of Midway was one of the most important battles in the war in the Pacific. Japan was on the offensive and was near total control of the Pacific. Japan sent four carriers, the Akagi, the Hiryu, the Kaga, and the Soryu, all under contol of Admiral Yamamoto and Vice-Admiral Nagumo, and a few heavy crusiers as an escort to gain control of Midway Island. The American Pacific fleet intercepted a message from the Japanese saying that there was going to be an attack on Midway Island. Under control of Admiral Nimitz the three American aircraft carriers, the Hornet, the Enterprise, and the Yorktown, with an escort fleet that consisted of 11 destroyers, two tankers and 19 submarines, were sent to help protect Midway. The Japanese fleet sent bombers to attack Midway to soften the defenses so the Japanese could take over the island. The Japanese bombs did little damage, and the American defenses at Midway sent torpedo planes and bombers to attack the Japanese fleet.

[] 1.Messenger, Charles. __The Cronological Atlas of World War Two__. 1. New York: MacMillin Publishing Company, 1980. 2. Skipper, G. C.. __World at war Battle of Midway__. Chicago: Childrens press, 1980. 3. Fetzner, Scott. "Midway Island."__World Book Encyclopedia__. 2004. 4. "Battle of Midway." __Grolier Online__. 07 Mar 2007. Grolier Online. 3 Apr 2009 . 5. __Midway__. Dir. Jack Smight. Perf. Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda. 2001. DVD. 2001. The Japanese Navy at Midway was led by Admiral Yamamoto. It was made up of seven battleships, two cruisers lined with destoyers. His vice Admiral, Kondo, followed him with twelve transports with two battleships, six cruisers, and many destroyers. The Japanese main attack force was led by Admiral Nagumo. He led four great carriers called the Akagi, the Kaga, the Hiryu, and the Soryu. The Japanese aircrafts were composed of two main planes, the Aichi D3A1 Dive Bomber and the Nakajima B5N2. They were used as torpedo and attack bombers. There was also the Mistubishi A6M2 which was the Japanese main carrier plane. However the Japanese was having a shortage on the frontline aircraft, which reduced the production of the D3A1. This meant that no planes could replace the fallen. The U.S. fleet at Midway was led by Admiral Chester W. Nimitiz, who commanded three great carriers, the Hornet, the Enterprise, and the Yorktown. When the Americans broke the Japanese secret codes, that was sending an attack force to Midway, we sent a fleet over to meet them. We sent over about 50 support ships, 233 carrier aircraft and 127 land based aircraft from Hawaii. The Hornet was lined with six cruisers. To make sure that the Japanese were going to attack Midway, the American carriers sent out around 15 recon planes to search the area and found the Japanese fleet heading for Midway. The Japanese only sent around 5 recon planes and they found nothing until the Americans attacked the Japanese. Yamatos called for a strike on Dutch Harbor in the Aluetions on June 3rd. He thought that there only two U.S. ships there, the USS Enterprise and the USS Hornet. They made up the Task Force 16. The Japanese had recently sunken the USS Lexington and damaged the USS Saratoga and was under repair. Admiral Yamato believed that the U.S. was devestated by the attacks and he planned to use that against the U.S. So Yamato sent out his forces to the fullest extent.
 * __The Japanese Fleet__**
 * __The U.S. Fleet__**
 * __Yamamoto's Plan__**

1. G.C. Skipper, __Battle of Midway__, Regenstenier Publishing Enterprises, Chicago Illinois, 1980 2. Konenig, William, Chp. Midway 1942, __Epic Sea Battles__, Chartwell Books Inc., Seacaucus New Jersey, 1975, pg. 212 - 232 3. Olivia-Emily-Laura, Answers Corporation, wikianswers.com, how many ships were present at the battle of midway, [], 2009, Retreived Date 3/29/08 4. Samuel Elliot Morison, Coral Sea, Midway, and Submarine Actions, Edition 4, Library in Congress Catalogging, Boston Mass., 1977, pg. 87 - 93 5. WIKPEDIA, Battle of Midway, Wikipedia Foundation Inc., [], 3/27/09, 11:42, Retrieved Date 3/28/09 After the main Japanese bomber attacks, the American defenses at Midway and the carriers the Hornet, Enterprise, and Yorktown, launched their torpedo planes to attack the Japanese carriers. At first almost all of the attacks missed, and many planes were shot down. The Japanese then sent their more advanced pilots to attack the American carriers. The Yorktown was severly damaged and then sunk by Japanese pilots. After the Japanese attack on the Yorktown, the Americans launched a second attack on the Japanese and sunk two of their carriers and damaged the other two. <span style="color: rgb(0,255,0);">After the battle of Midway, the Japanese were on the defensive for the rest of the war. [] <span style="color: rgb(249,6,6);">After the battle, Admiral Yamamoto ordered the two surviving carriers to be sunk so the Americans could not get control of them. <span style="color: rgb(249,117,6);">In the aftermath of the battle, the Americans lost around 150 planes, 300 lives, and one carrier. The Japanese lost around 250 planes, 5,000 lives, and 4 carriers. The battle of Midway is considered to be the turning point of World War II in the Pacific.
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