https://x.com/DeptofDefense/status/1918999055566614571
May 4, 2025
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253.3K ViewsPosted on 05/04/2025 4:43:07 PM PDT by ransomnote
https://x.com/DeptofDefense/status/1918999055566614571
May 4, 2025
·Â253.3K Views
Everyone got confused during the battle.
Japanese aircraft mistook an American carrier for one of their own and tried to land on it.
American aircraft misidentified the light carrier as a fleet carrier and sank that instead of concentrating on fleet carriers.
The Japanese fought like sumo wrestlers: hit 'em hard, throw 'em down, take the 懸賞金 (winner's money), walk away. Americans fought like boxers: hit 'em hard, knock 'em down, if they get up, knock 'em down again, make sure they stayed knocked out.
Ian Toll has a great trilogy regarding the Pacific Front from before Pearl Harbor all the way through to the dropping of the bomb and surrender. It was touch and go for a while there in 1942. Coral Sea delayed Japanese plans to invade New Guinea so in that respect, it was a victory. US forces did get mauled.
I recommend the audio book series. Granted its some $30 per book for the trilogy, but well worth the money and understanding you will get from all the nuances of the war. From the actions of the Navy, to the Marines to the Army. I have listened to this trilogy over and over and always pick up something new each time...
True
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Battle of Coral Sea
by Naval History and Heritage
Playlist
• 6 videos
• 3,912 views
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL14njPbzneOaeqoc8C-3wtkWqS-dSF_4j
Nonsensical historical revisionism...
The Japs duked it out to a Mexican standoff...
The real significance was saving Australia from a pending invasion...
Also, it was the first naval battle in history fought over the horizon by air...
If you want “monumental” and “turning point”, there is just one clear American victory: Midway!
Guadalcanal was the so-called “turning point” of the Pacific War.
“A tactical draw; a strategic victory because the Japanese fleet turned tail and ran.”
indeed, and the strategic victory marked the closest the Japs ever got to taking over Australia ...
p
“The real significance was saving Australia from a pending invasion...”
Given the feuding between the Japanese navy and army it might not happen. More likely is Japan captures all of New Guinea and launches more bombing raids on Australia. You’re right about the real turning point being Midway, they lost their offensive power and could never make up the losses of ships and pilots.
I am half way through my World War II novel, set on a flat- top aircraft carrier. It is a character study more than anything else. But the more I write, the more awed I am by the men who fought that war. I am female writing from a man’s point of view. Getting perspectives from that angle, too. So far beta readers say I’ve got it down. Praise and kudos to those men.
And thank God for Winston Churchill, who went against popular (and political) sentiment and refused to negotiate with Hitler for a truce when they seemed just about down for the count.
I cannot imagine how much harder our task would have been (in Europe AND the Pacific), if Britain had taken themselves out of the fight.
what was more significant was the IJN carriers Zuikaku and Shokaku were damaged by our aircraft. The Japanese determined that the damage to the ships was to significant to be done locally. They ordered the ships back to Japan for repairs.
These ships were struck from the Midway operation because they were still being repaired. Had this not happened, The IJN would have been able to commit 6 carriers to the Midway battle instead 4.
Yes Very important.
I sometime wonder about counter-factuals if that would have happened. One possibility is the entire Japanese air fleet, or say 5 of 6 might have been destroyed at Midway yet the 2 extra carriers of strength might have in return destroyed the entire USN aircraft carrier fleet of 3. Say EIGHT carriers sank in one titanic bloody battle!
Such a scenario would have been very interesting in the short term as this would have given advantage to Japanese Cruiser and Destroyer forces especially at night. While US land based AirPower would have became even more important. Perhaps resulting in more Guadalcanal like scenarios?
Of course in the long run it would have helped us as our industrial capacity would have been able to replace losses a lot faster.
PS
A more likely result would have been heavy losses on both sides say 4 of their to all 3 of ours…also an interesting counter-factual to speculate on.
The key to victory at Midway were the lessons learned at Coral Sea.
My Dad was there on the USS Perkins DD 377.
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