Second World War at Sea - Coral Sea

In May 1942, the Japanese sought to capture Port Moresby on the south coast of New Guinea and interrupt communications between the United States and Australia. Such a move, they hoped, would bring the Americans to battle.

The United States Navy needed no special inducement to fight the nation’s enemies. Two American aircraft carriers met one small and two large Japanese carriers in the world’s first battle between these powerful new warships. For the first time in naval history, a major battle was decided with no warship of either fleet even sighting an enemy ship directly. Aircraft were the new measure of naval power.

Content :