The Turning Point of World War II - The Battle of Midway Essay example

World War II, along with its numerous battles, brought great tension between two of the strongest countries during the 1940s: the United States and Japan. Conflict between these two countries started with Japan’s push past Chinese borders into Manchuria in search of the natural resources Japan lacks. At first, the United States avoided military action with Japan by waging economic warfare on them. This economic pressure included the passing of the Neutrality Act, which prohibited the sale of weapons to nations at war (Nash 513). Additionally, the United States placed oil embargoes on Japan hoping it would force Japan to shut down military operations in China. Japan, at a critical decision point, decided to bomb the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. On December 7th, 1941 at 6 a.m., Japan pilots bombed the naval base at Pearl Harbor, taking out the United States’ strongest battleships, killing thousands of people, and destroying hundreds of planes (Sherman). The day a fter Pearl Harbor, the United States declared war on Japan. Over the next few years, the United States and Japan fought fierce battles for dominance in the Pacific Ocean. One of the most important battles during the United States and Japanese war was the Battle of Midway. Japan was destroying the United States at sea, until the Battle of Midway gave the United States Pacific Fleet an edge on Japanese forces. The Battle of Midway was the most important naval engagement of World War II: it was a decisive battle that allowed the United States to be the dominant naval power in the Pacific and it marked a turning point in World War II for the United States. The motive for Japan’s plan to attack Midway Island was to claim dominant power over the Pacific Ocean and to... ...ary B. American Odyssey: The United States in the 20th Century. New York, 2002. 513. Print Newark, Timothy. Turning the Tide of War: 50 Battles That Changed the Course of Modern History. London: Hamlyn, 2001. 112-15. Print. Nicholas, Walter. Interviewed by Lewis G. Schmidt. Interview with Walter Nicholas. 10 October 1989. Web. 14 March 2014. â€Å"Now It’s the Japanese Who Will ‘Remember Pearl Harbor’.† Daily Boston Globe 7 June 1942: D1 ProQuest. Web. 13 March 2014. â€Å"Pacific Situation Declared Eased by Battle of Midway.† Los Angeles Times 10 June 1942: 2 ProQuest. Web. 13 March 2014. Sherman, Frederick â€Å"Sherman Tells Inside Story of Midway Battle.† Historical Newspaper. ProQuest Historical Newspaper. ICONN. Web. 17 March 2014. Symonds, Craig. â€Å"Mitscher and the Mystery of Midway.† June 2012: 46. History Reference Center. EBSCOhost. Web. 18 March 2014.