1942 ⟶ Japanese Forces Land on Tulagi, Opening the Battle of the Coral Sea
In the initial move of the Japanese strategic plan to captur...
Year
1942
1943
🚢 Japanese Forces Land on Tulagi, Opening the Battle of the Coral Sea
In the initial move of the Japanese strategic plan to capture Port Moresby, Japanese forces under Admiral Kiyohide Shima make unopposed landings on Tulagi, opening the Battle of the Coral Sea.⟶
Battle of the Coral SeaTulagiPacific TheaterJapanese NavyPort MoresbyNaval BattleSolomon IslandsMilitary Strategy
✈️ US Carrier Strike on Tulagi
US Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher's Task Force 17 makes the first carrier strike of the Battle of the Coral Sea, attacking Japanese naval targets near Tulagi.⟶
Battle of the Coral SeaAircraft CarrierNaval BattleFrank Jack FletcherPacific TheaterTulagiNaval AviationUS Navy
🔍 Carrier Aircraft Search for Each Other in the Coral Sea
In the Coral Sea, both Japanese and American carrier aircraft spend this day and the following one searching for each other's ships, with no success, even though at one point the opposing carrier groups are separated by less than a hundred miles of ocean.⟶
Battle of the Coral SeaAircraft CarrierNaval BattlePacific TheaterNaval AviationSearch and DestroyUS NavyJapanese Navy
💥 Battle of the Coral Sea: Carriers Clash, Japanese Strategic Setback
In the Coral Sea, each side finally locates the other's main carrier groups, consisting of Japanese carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku, and American carriers Lexington and Yorktown. Several attacks follow. Only Zuikaku escapes unscathed; Shōkaku has her flight deck bent, requiring two months' repairs; Lexington is sunk and Yorktown damaged. Fletcher retires; this action closes the Battle. While arguably a stalemate or even tactical victory for the Japanese, who have sunk the most tonnage and the only large carrier, the Battle of the Coral Sea is usually seen as a strategic victory for the United States, as Admiral Inoue cancels the Port Moresby operation, the first significant failure of a Japanese strategic operation in the Pacific Theatre. In addition, Yorktown will be repaired in time to make important contributions at Midway (although she will not survive), whereas neither the damaged Shōkaku nor Zuikaku (which, although not directly attacked, has suffered unsustainable losses in aircraft), will be able to refit in time for Midway, giving the Japanese only four operable carriers available for that battle.⟶
Battle of the Coral SeaNaval BattleCarrier WarfarePacific TheaterAircraft CarriersStrategic VictoryTurning Point
🚢 Battle of Kula Gulf in the Solomons
U.S. and Japanese ships fight the Battle of Kula Gulf in the Solomons.⟶
Pacific TheaterBattle of Kula Gulfnaval battleSolomon IslandsUS NavyJapanese Navy