Battle of Midway

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Isoroku Yamamoto planned to seize Midway Atoll and draw the remaining American carriers into battle. United States codebreakers led by Joseph Rochefort identified the objective and enabled Chester Nimitz to prepare an ambush.

From 4 to 7 June 1942, carrier aircraft from both fleets searched for and attacked opposing ships. American dive-bombers destroyed four Japanese carriers, while the United States lost the carrier Yorktown.