Japan's Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku conceived a grand plan to lure the U.S. Pacific fleet into a single decisive battle that would finish the work of the Battle of Pearl Harbor, destroying or at least crippling the fleet so severely that the United States would be forced to seek a negotiated peace in the Pacific theater. Midway Island, just 1,000 miles west of Hawaii, was a strategically located piece of land from which either side could launch major attacks against the other. Yamamoto believed that he could trap the U.S. fleet here and administer a coup de grace.

He sent a diversionary force to the Aleutian Islands, U.S. territory in the northern Pacific, while Admiral Nagumo Chuichi, the very man who had led the attack on Pearl Harbor, took a four-carrier striking force followed by an invasion fleet--a total of about 88 ships--to Midway. Thanks to Ultra intelligence, the U.S. Pacific commander, Admiral Chester A. Nimitz anticipated Yamamoto's move and intended to oblige him by providing the decisive battle he wanted--with, however, a very different outcome: an American victory.

Nimitz hurriedly assembled two task forces east of Midway: Number 16, under Admiral Raymond Spruance, and Number 18, commanded by Admiral Frank Fletcher. In addition to the aircraft launched from the large carriers Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown, land-based planes would operate from Midway itself. . .

Free term papers are not written to satisfy your specific instructions. You can use our professional writing services to buy a custom written research paper, term paper, or essay on Military Topics at affordable price. CustomTermPapers is the best solution for those who seek help in writing term papers, essays, and research papers related to Military Topics and other relevant topics.