On June 4, 1942, the Battle of Midway began.
Widely considered the most decisive naval battle in the Pacific theater of World War II, the clash permanently crippled the Imperial Japanese Navy’s offensive capabilities. American codebreakers played a vital role, successfully intercepting and deciphering Japanese plans weeks in advance, allowing Admiral Chester Nimitz to launch a surprise ambush that changed the trajectory of the entire war.
Image: Smoke can be seen from the USS Yorktown after being struck by the enemy during the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
