Wonderduck's Pond

June 04, 2011

Midway Day 2011

Today, June 4th, is the 69th anniversary of the Battle of Midway. At Naval bases around the world and on board ships at sea, commemorative events have been taking place over the past couple of days, remembering both the Navy's greatest victory and those who lost their lives during the Battle.

^{Wreath-laying ceremony at the Navy Memorial, June 3rd, 2011}

I should have a post or two up later today on some aspects of the Battle itself. Until then, if you have any questions about the Battle of Midway, feel free to ask and I'll be happy to answer them as best I can.

Posted by: Wonderduck at 07:55 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
Post contains 107 words, total size 1 kb.

1 Assuming that the Japanese had succeeded in taking Midway, did they have any plans to actually use it, such as for land-based bombing of Pearl harbor? Or was it intended solely as bait to lure the US carriers out and sink them?

Posted by: Siergen at June 04, 2011 01:51 PM (FiHIo)

I was ready to respond to that question, but I should wait for Wonderduck's own post.

So I will.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste at June 04, 2011 02:26 PM (+rSRq)

From everything that I have read, which includes Tony Tully and John Parshall's Broken Sword, the Japanese did not have any plans for using Midway as a base to launch air attacks on Hawaii. In point of fact, they did not have much idea on what to do with Midway after they had captured it.

Also, it is questionable just how many aircraft could have been based from Midway, especially larger ones. IIRC, what the Americans actually had on Midway was essentially everything they could squeeze onto the island.

Posted by: cxt217 at June 04, 2011 06:59 PM (PKA/z)

4 Well, I just posted my answer at my own blog.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste at June 04, 2011 07:15 PM (+rSRq)

5 Is there actually any plausible way for the japanese to win the war in Pacific?

Posted by: Ari at June 05, 2011 11:21 AM (QXAzG)

"Is there actually any plausible way for the japanese to win the war in Pacific?"

Only if U.S. leadership folded which wasn't ever going to happen given the sneak attack on Pearl. To emphasize how foolish the Japanese were was that only 1/3 of America's production was used against the Japanese. Two thirds was for the Germans which were rightly perceived as the greater threat.

The Japanese war plan can be summerized as:

1. Attack Pearl Harbor.
2. ??
3. World domination.