THE BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA, 7-8 May 1942
The Pacific War Historical Society presents an illustrated account of Japan's first naval defeat in the Pacific War (1941-45), and places the battle in its historic setting.
"Some
have no grave but the cruel sea
No
flowers lie at their head
A rusting hulk is their
tombstone
At rest on the ocean bed."
*
TEXT AND WEB-SITE BY JAMES K. BOWEN. WEB-SITE LAST UPDATED 20 FEBRUARY 2007.
On 15 March 1942, Japan's Imperial General Headquarters decided to sever Australia's lifeline to the United States by seizing and fortifying the southern Solomon Islands, the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, and Port Moresby on the southern coast of the Australian Territory of Papua. The purpose behind the Japanese plan was to place a steel noose around Australia and then apply pressure to compel Australia to surrender to Japan.The first Japanese targets would be Port Moresby and the island of Tulagi in the British Solomon Islands.
"SCRATCH ONE FLAT-TOP"
For the first time in the Pacific War, the Japanese military machine suffered a defeat at the Battle of the Coral Sea. In this powerful image, the Japanese light carrier Shoho is under attack by Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers from the American aircraft carrier USS Lexington on 7 May 1942. Shoho was sunk. The painting depicts the TBD flown by Lt R.F. Farrington, T.R. Wiebe,and Walter N. Nelson from Lexington
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IMPORTANT
NEWS
A new Pacific War web-site featuring interactive animations of key Pacific War battles, including Coral Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal is now online. These excellent animations should assist viewers to follow text descriptions of very complex battles such as Midway and Coral Sea. Strongly recommended. |
Although these invasions had initially been intended to take place in April 1942, the destruction of Japanese troop transports at Lae and Salamaua on 10 March 1942 by aircraft launched from USS Yorktown and USS Lexington forced a one month postponement to enable Japanese aircraft carriers to protect the Port Moresby and Tulagi landings. These Japanese invasion plans directed against Australia and the United States would produce in the Coral Sea the first major fleet to fleet engagement between the American and Japanese navies following Pearl Harbor, and for the first time in naval history would see a major naval battle decided by opposing aircraft carriers.
INDEX TO CORAL SEA
l Overview and Preparations for the Battle
l How this crucial Allied victory shaped the Pacific War
l Historical Sourcesl They served their Countries at Coral Sea
l Commemorating the Battle of the Coral Sea in Australia
* from The Navy Ode
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PACIFIC
WAR BRIEFING NOTES
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STAGE ONE OF A PACIFIC AVIATION MUSEUM OPENED AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, ON 7 DECEMBER 2006.
At 8.00 am on 7 December 1941, at a time when the United States and Japan were at peace, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack on the United States Pacific Fleet anchored at its Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii. This treacherous attack was not preceded by a formal declaration of war, and took place when Japanese diplomats were in Washington discussing American concerns about continuing brutal and unprovoked Japanese military aggression in East Asia. These diplomatic discussions were intended by the Japanese to distract the attention of Americans while Japan secretly positioned a powerful aircraft carrier striking force off the Hawaiian islands. The Japanese had carefully planned their attack on Hawaii to take place on a Sunday morning, knowing that American military preparedness would be at its lowest ebb on a Sunday. Of the eight American battleships anchored in Pearl Harbor at the time of this dastardly attack, USS Arizona and Oklahoma were destroyed; California and West Virginia were sunk upright; and the other four were damaged. About 200 US Navy and Army aircraft were destroyed. American losses were 2,403 dead and 1,178 injured. Japan formally declared war on the United States several hours after the last Japanese aircraft had returned to its carrier and when the Japanese striking force was returning to Japan. Read about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and the events that led to it, on this web-site, and visit the new Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor to view film, dioramas, historic Pacific War aircraft, and artifacts. Learn more at the web-site of the Pacific Aviation Museum. The author of this web-site will visit the Pacific Aviation Museum in May 2007 and provide a full report of that visit on this web-site in a new chapter to be devoted to Pacific War Museums and exhibits. |
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