Japan’s decision to attack Midway Island is most likely
the reason for their defeat in World War II. The Japanese
expected a victory simply because they had never been
defeated at sea. The pride of the Japanese warlords, who
thought they were invincible, had a cost; this cost could
only be paid by hundreds of thousands of men’s lives.
As the world watched in horror, German tanks over ran
most of Europe, and Japan geared up to fight a two-fronted
war. Since Japan’s major enemy was the United States, their
planners recommended a preemptive strike against their
economically superior opponent. If the U.S. carrier and
battleship fleet could be eliminated simultaneously with
military expansion into Indonesia, the Philippines, and
China the war would virtually be over.
Most experts agree that the Pearl Harbor attack was both
a success and a failure, as no American carriers were even
damaged. When the task force returned from Hawaii, they found
the Japanese naval leaders complacent and elated over the
victory and not interested in a follow up operation to destroy
all enemy carriers.
The next question for the Japanese was where to attack.
While they were considering, the Battle of the Coral Sea,
between Japan and the U.S.(defending New Guinea) took
place north-east off of Australia’s coast. While the outcome
was inconclusive, Japan had two carriers damaged. Again, in
April 1942, the U.S. carriers struck back; American B-25's
bombed Tokyo in the famous Doolittle raid. There was now no
choice but to destroy the American carriers in a pitched
battle. As Captain Mitsuto Fuchida, leader of the first air
raid on Pearl Harbor, said,"...It [the Doolittle raid] must be
regarded as a ‘do-much raid’".
With the false assumption that the attack on Midway would
be a surprise, Japanese Admirals Nagumo and Yamamoto left
Hashirajima, Japan on May 27, 1942, heading due east for Midway
with the largest single Japanese fleet ever assembled. Meanwhile
the American’s rushed to defend Midway and repair the USS
Yorktown which had been damaged in the Coral Sea action.
On the morning of June 4, Admiral Nagumo’s carrier
strike force launched almost all of their planes to attack
Midway Island. Before his planes returned, several waves of
obsolete American planes attacked his almost empty carriers,
but no hits were scored and almost every attacking plane was
destroyed. With Nagumo’s planes due back from their first
attack , a message came in that the U.S. fleet had been
spotted within striking distance. Nagumo faced a momentous
decision. Should he attack with the 45 or so planes he had ready
to go, or should he land the 210 incoming planes and then
launch them after they all had fueled and reloaded? He chose
the latter.
While the planes were being loaded with torpedoes and
armor piercing bombs, enemy torpedo bombers tried to make it
to the Japanese carriers, but to no avail. The Zero fighters
were too fast. Suddenly high overhead, U.S. dive bombers began
making their deadly dives. The dive bombers scored many hits,
and soon fires were raging on three of the four carriers, the
Kaga, Soryu, and Akagi, fueled by bombs carelessly left on the
hangar deck. As survivors were transferred onto destroyers the
remaining carrier, the Hiyru, launched its planes twice
against the U.S. fleet. In the fight the USS Yorktown was
damaged, only later to be sunk by a Japanese submarine. At
1700 hours, American dive bombers attacked the Hiryu, setting
it ablaze.
When the day was over all four Japanese carriers had been
abandoned, and the Japanese forces were retiring back to their
homeland.
The Japanese had not achieved surprise, failed to support
their vulnerable carriers with any heavy escorts, and divided
their forces into separate groups, thereby increasing the
entire fleet’s vulnerability. The main Japanese blunder,
however, was the sense of invincibility, the dangerous feeling
felt just before a fall.
The momentum of the war was now shifted, and with Japan
on the defensive, America’s huge industrial powers finally
brought the war to an end in 1945.
In the end, it was the pride of the Japanese Navy that
brought about their ultimate defeat and the deaths of
approximately 2,500 Japanese alone at the Battle
of Midway. Let us learn a valuable lesson and not fall into
prideful thinking. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty
spirit before a fall". Proverbs 16:18
the reason for their defeat in World War II. The Japanese
expected a victory simply because they had never been
defeated at sea. The pride of the Japanese warlords, who
thought they were invincible, had a cost; this cost could
only be paid by hundreds of thousands of men’s lives.
As the world watched in horror, German tanks over ran
most of Europe, and Japan geared up to fight a two-fronted
war. Since Japan’s major enemy was the United States, their
planners recommended a preemptive strike against their
economically superior opponent. If the U.S. carrier and
battleship fleet could be eliminated simultaneously with
military expansion into Indonesia, the Philippines, and
China the war would virtually be over.
Most experts agree that the Pearl Harbor attack was both
a success and a failure, as no American carriers were even
damaged. When the task force returned from Hawaii, they found
the Japanese naval leaders complacent and elated over the
victory and not interested in a follow up operation to destroy
all enemy carriers.
The next question for the Japanese was where to attack.
While they were considering, the Battle of the Coral Sea,
between Japan and the U.S.(defending New Guinea) took
place north-east off of Australia’s coast. While the outcome
was inconclusive, Japan had two carriers damaged. Again, in
April 1942, the U.S. carriers struck back; American B-25's
bombed Tokyo in the famous Doolittle raid. There was now no
choice but to destroy the American carriers in a pitched
battle. As Captain Mitsuto Fuchida, leader of the first air
raid on Pearl Harbor, said,"...It [the Doolittle raid] must be
regarded as a ‘do-much raid’".
With the false assumption that the attack on Midway would
be a surprise, Japanese Admirals Nagumo and Yamamoto left
Hashirajima, Japan on May 27, 1942, heading due east for Midway
with the largest single Japanese fleet ever assembled. Meanwhile
the American’s rushed to defend Midway and repair the USS
Yorktown which had been damaged in the Coral Sea action.
On the morning of June 4, Admiral Nagumo’s carrier
strike force launched almost all of their planes to attack
Midway Island. Before his planes returned, several waves of
obsolete American planes attacked his almost empty carriers,
but no hits were scored and almost every attacking plane was
destroyed. With Nagumo’s planes due back from their first
attack , a message came in that the U.S. fleet had been
spotted within striking distance. Nagumo faced a momentous
decision. Should he attack with the 45 or so planes he had ready
to go, or should he land the 210 incoming planes and then
launch them after they all had fueled and reloaded? He chose
the latter.
While the planes were being loaded with torpedoes and
armor piercing bombs, enemy torpedo bombers tried to make it
to the Japanese carriers, but to no avail. The Zero fighters
were too fast. Suddenly high overhead, U.S. dive bombers began
making their deadly dives. The dive bombers scored many hits,
and soon fires were raging on three of the four carriers, the
Kaga, Soryu, and Akagi, fueled by bombs carelessly left on the
hangar deck. As survivors were transferred onto destroyers the
remaining carrier, the Hiyru, launched its planes twice
against the U.S. fleet. In the fight the USS Yorktown was
damaged, only later to be sunk by a Japanese submarine. At
1700 hours, American dive bombers attacked the Hiryu, setting
it ablaze.
When the day was over all four Japanese carriers had been
abandoned, and the Japanese forces were retiring back to their
homeland.
The Japanese had not achieved surprise, failed to support
their vulnerable carriers with any heavy escorts, and divided
their forces into separate groups, thereby increasing the
entire fleet’s vulnerability. The main Japanese blunder,
however, was the sense of invincibility, the dangerous feeling
felt just before a fall.
The momentum of the war was now shifted, and with Japan
on the defensive, America’s huge industrial powers finally
brought the war to an end in 1945.
In the end, it was the pride of the Japanese Navy that
brought about their ultimate defeat and the deaths of
approximately 2,500 Japanese alone at the Battle
of Midway. Let us learn a valuable lesson and not fall into
prideful thinking. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty
spirit before a fall". Proverbs 16:18
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