Essay On The Battle Of The Coral Sea

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Recommended: How significant was World War 2 in changing Australia's relationship with Japan

Danielle Swauger
Dr. Wells
Advanced American History
14 March 2014
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Second World War was the most deadly war humans have experienced in history, claiming over 50 million lives. (?) This was the most deaths any war had seen up to date, (?) and was the first event that led to many more in the world war. However, there were also many other crucial battles that made huge contributions to the war, the Battle of the Coral Sea being one of many amongst these.
May 4 through May 8 of 1942 were the days on which the Japanese and the United States battled in the Battle of the Coral Sea, being the “first of six battles between opposing aircraft carrier forces.” () Also during this naval battle, neither side’s ships directly sighted nor fired upon each other, which was the first over-the-horizon attack in history. () Rather, opposing team’s aircraft carriers spotted each other’s ships and sent their opponent’s locations to their own ships. Their ships then fired upon the opposing team’s ships. The distance was at such a long range that there was no direct ship-to-ship contact.
The Battle of the Coral Sea was a result of the U.S. attack on the Japanese, who were attempting to capture and establish air bases at Port Moresby in New Guinea as well as Tulagi in Solomon. However, the U.S. was seeking to thwart the attempt because of the significance Port Moresby holds in the overall war. Port Moresby was vital in their strategies and plans, as well as being able to take Australia out of the war. On May 3 and 4, the Japanese had successfully invaded and occupied Tulagi.
At this time, the Japanese were gaining ample amount of power, control, land, and resources, giving them a major upper hand in the war, and making the out...

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...s troops, because they had proven success multiple times in the past, especially recently, and he did not take as much time as he should have in prior preparations and calculations. Therefore, it was a major factor in the downfall of the Japanese in the battle. Sun Tzu said, “The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.” The Japanese in this battle did neither of these; they were not ready to receive an attack from the Allied forces as well as were unable to make their position unassailable. As a result, the Allies were able to locate and attack the Japanese while the Japanese were unaware of the attack, therefore giving them a huge disadvantage and an eventual loss of the battle.

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