| | [[Image:Midway Atoll.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Midway Atoll, as it looked in November, 1941]] | | [[Image:Midway Atoll.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Midway Atoll, as it looked in November, 1941]] |
| − | '''The Battle of Midway''', fought near the Central Pacific island of Midway on June 4-7, 1942, is considered the decisive battle of the war in the Pacific. Before this battle the Japanese were on the offensive, capturing territory throughout Asia and the Pacific. By their attack, the Japanese had planned to capture Midway to use as an advance base, as well as to entrap and destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Because of communication intelligence successes, the U.S. Pacific Fleet surprised the Japanese forces, sinking the four Japanese carriers that had attacked Pearl Harbor only six months before, while only losing of one carrier. After Midway, the Americans and their Allies took the offensive in the Pacific. | + | '''The Battle of Midway''', fought near the Central Pacific island of Midway on June 4-7, 1942, is considered the decisive battle of the war in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Before this battle the Japanese were on the offensive, capturing territory throughout [[Asia]] and the Pacific. By their attack, the Japanese had planned to capture Midway to use as an advance base, as well as to entrap and destroy the [[U.S.]] Pacific Fleet. Because of communication intelligence successes, the [[U.S.]] Pacific Fleet surprised the Japanese forces, sinking the four Japanese carriers that had attacked [[Pearl Harbor]] only six months before, while only losing of one carrier. After Midway, the [[American]]s and their Allies took the offensive in the Pacific. |
| | Midway is a small atoll nearly half-way across the Pacific, the westernmost inhabited member of the Hawaiian Island chain. Its two major islands, Sand and Eastern, have a combined area of only a few square miles. They are densely populated by several bird species, of which the most abundant is the [[Laysan Albatross]], popularly nicknamed the "Gooney Bird". | | Midway is a small atoll nearly half-way across the Pacific, the westernmost inhabited member of the Hawaiian Island chain. Its two major islands, Sand and Eastern, have a combined area of only a few square miles. They are densely populated by several bird species, of which the most abundant is the [[Laysan Albatross]], popularly nicknamed the "Gooney Bird". |