Midway

The film dramatizes the pivotal 1942 naval Battle of Midway, from American codebreaking that revealed Japanese plans to the carrier battle that turned the tide of the Pacific War. It blends fictional personal stories with depictions of real admirals and commanders on both sides. Extensive use of archival combat footage was incorporated into the battle scenes.

The Battle of Midway (June 4–7, 1942) saw U.S. Navy forces, aided by codebreaking intelligence, sink four Japanese aircraft carriers, decisively shifting the balance of naval power in the Pacific. It is widely regarded as a turning point of the Pacific War.

Reasonably faithful to the strategic outline of the battle, though it uses considerable stock footage from other engagements and includes fictionalized subplots.

The Luftwaffe attempted to win air superiority over southern England as a precondition for invasion. RAF Fighter Command, supported by the Dowding radar and control system, denied it.

Attacks moved from convoys and coastal radar to airfields, then in September switched to London — relieving pressure on Fighter Command at a critical moment. Invasion plans were postponed indefinitely in mid-September.

Directed by Jack Smight

Cast: Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, Toshiro Mifune

Positioned at June 4–7, 1942 within the World War II phase of the war, as part of the Pacific War. This is entry 70 of 150 in the chronological archive.

• Battle of Midway
• aircraft carriers
• codebreaking
• Pacific War
• naval battle

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  Midway

  June 4–7, 1942

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  The Pacific

  1942–1945

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  Bataan

  Early 1942

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  Back to Bataan

  1942–1945

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  Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

  April 18, 1942

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  The Thin Red Line

  1942–1943