When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor they did so intending to smash in one single blow America’s resolution and its inability to retaliate. Japan failed miserably on both accounts. The Japanese sank or badly damaged seven antiquated American battleships, but since they were lost in harbor, many of their crews were saved and all but two of the ships were salvaged. The raid also left most of Pearl Harbor’s shore installations intact. Most important of all, the violation of the United States territory, united the nation behind the declaration of war on Japan. Moreover, the loss of the battleships forced the United States Navy to use its aircraft carriers as the core of a more up to date Pacific fleet. The 1927 vintage Lexington and Saratoga and the much more modern Enterprise were out to port during the raid and were therefore untouched. By 1942, they were joined by the …show more content…
The Americans were quick to master this new type of warfare and were ready to use it again at a later date. That date was not far away. Japan’s admirals were already planning another battle where they hoped to cripple US Pacific fleet once and for all, by attacking the Midway Atoll at the far western end of the Hawaiian chain of islands. The Japanese hoped to lure the US Pacific fleet into the open sea and destroy it. On 20 May 1942, allied listening stations around the Pacific picked up a lengthy radio signal in code from Admiral Yamamoto to his fleet. The message was relayed to the US Combat Intelligence Unit at Pearl Harbor and deciphered. It was revealed that the Japanese navy was about to mount a powerful attack on the Mid Pacific atoll called Midway with a secondary diversionary attack on the Aleutians further north. Dutch Harbor on the Aleutians would be hit on the June 3d and Midway the next