What were the preparations leading up to the Coral Sea like? That’s a major battle coming up soon. I see it as a significant strategic victory for the Americans and Aussies. After the battle, how was the Yorktown repaired so quickly?
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Thanks for teeing this up Keith. The genesis of this action started with Japan intending to expand their empire by taking Port Morseby at New Guinea. The effect was to cut off American supplies to Australia and the ultimate capitulation of Australia-it sounded good on paper and the Japanese were getting used to winning. The invasion was premised on total surprise, a docile US, only interested in peace and Australia ready to bow.
Of course it didn’t happen that way. Nimitz understood the plans via broken transmissions, the Austrians were ready with air power and the US Orange doctrine outlined constant offensive pressure when odds allowed-the first hint of this is the Doolittle Raid of April 12-an amazing story by itself. The Japanese also had the mindset that the carriers of Kido Butai had no equal on the planet.
The Battle of Coral Sea basically started with a surprise attack by the Allies and an ultimate fight of carriers-the Japanese weren’t used to not dictating the narrative of events. In the end, the Japanese called it victory because Lexington went to the bottom and Yorktown was damaged. However their invasion was turned back, small carrier Shoho was sunk and two Japanese carriers had major losses to planes and aircrew.
Interestingly, what Yamamoto did not take away from this engagement was that the US was capable of surprise, quick strike attack with carriers, with competent and deadly offensive aircrews…it would come back to haunt him in June.
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