The Battle of the Coral Sea

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The Battle of the Coral Sea was a very unique naval engagement, as well as the turning point in the Pacific Theatre. In the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese, under command of Admiral Takagi, attacked the Solomon Islands and Port Moresby, the port on the southeastern coast of New Guinea (Peter C. Chen). The American force, commanded by Vice Admiral Fletcher, were deployed to prevent this invasion. This battle was the first of its kind, as it was the first battle ever fought by all aircraft and with two forces who never knew exactly where their opponent was. This way of fighting was complemented by the bad weather, slow, clumsy ships, limited communication, but most of all the massive area upon which the battle was fought. The Battle of the Coral Sea greatly influenced the course of the Pacific Theatre (The Pacific Theatre). Although there was no clear winner of the battle, it was the first that the Americans didn’t lose, and after it the Japanese didn’t win another. It also led the Japanese to underestimate the power of the American navy in the Battle of Midway, which was a fatal error (Willmott, 230). The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first battle of a new era, in which the aircraft carrier controlled war at sea.
In the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese tried to invade the Solomon Islands and Australia to weaken the Allied position in the Pacific and to strengthen their own, but the American Force, led by Vice Admiral Fletcher, prevented the success of the operation. The Japanese plan was to primarily attack Port Moresby, in Australia, with a small force diverted to attack Tulagi, in the Solomon islands (Willmott, 204). This small force was detected on May 3rd, but Fletcher, who had been waiting for the Japanese, had be...

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...tle for Australia - Battle of the Coral Sea." The Battle for Australia - Battle of the Coral Sea. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .
“The Battle of Coral Sea." The Battle of Coral Sea. History Learning Site, n.d. Web. 4 May 2014. .
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Battle of the Coral Sea (Japanese-United States History)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014. .
"The Pacific Theatre." Pacific Theatre. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .
Willmott, H. P. The Barrier and the Javelin: Japanese and Allied Pacific Strategies, February to June 1942. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute, 1983. Print.

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