[0:08]We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important bulletin from the United Press. Flash, Washington. The White House announces Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. What is the country that finally attacks America on American soil? It's Japan. Messages from Tokyo say that Japan has announced a formal declaration of war against both the United States and Britain. Churchill learns about Pearl Harbor from the BBC. He hears the broadcast announcing this. He calls FDR. FDR says, "It's true. We're all in the same boat now." Four days later, Germany declares war on the United States. America will fight a war across both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. And FDR is now a wartime President.
[1:06]To fight the war in the Pacific, FDR appoints Admiral Chester Nimitz as the new Commander-in-Chief, Pacific. CINC PAC. Nimitz arrives to assume command of the Pacific fleet while Pearl Harbor is still a burning mess. It just stinks of death and fire and destruction. Nimitz takes command of a weakened Pacific Fleet. Most American battleships are destroyed or damaged at Pearl Harbor. But its aircraft carriers were at sea and escaped the attack. Because those aircraft carriers are available, he does have a tool to punch back at Japan.
[1:52]Fearing a long war with America, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect of Pearl Harbor, is always seeking a knockout blow against the US Navy. So he says, "I need to destroy these American carriers. But how do I do it?" And so they cook up this plan, the Japanese naval staff, is that they'll attack a vital American place. And they decide Midway Islands, so-called because it's midway between the West Coast, United States and China. It is American territory. Something the Americans value it. That might be enough to lure the Americans out to defend that territory. And if they do, then we can annihilate their carriers and have a free hand in the Pacific. Yamamoto's plan is to launch a surprise attack on Midway with four of his carriers. The Japanese will take the strategic island and believe Midway will then radio Pearl Harbor for help, prompting Nimitz to send his carriers to defend the island. Once the American carriers get to Midway, Yamamoto will appear with the rest of his fleet. He will trap them in jaws of iron, crush them and destroy not only the American carriers but also their battleships, at which point the Americans will have no naval forces of any worth left in the Pacific.
[3:18]In late May, the Japanese task force head to Midway Island.
[3:25]There are 250 aircraft on its carriers.
[3:33]But cryptanalyst Joseph Rochfort has intercepted the Japanese coded signals. Rochfort believes Japan is sending its fleet to attack Midway. The problem is, is the Japanese aren't referring to Midway Island as Midway Island. They're saying AF. We're going to attack AF.
[3:56]Rochfort has a plan to reveal the identity of AF. Midway sends false radio messages on a channel the Japanese monitor, suggesting there's a problem on the island. Midway is going to radio back in the clear, that, hey, our desalinization plant has just broken and we're running out of fresh water.
[4:19]And then they wait and listen.
[4:29]And shortly thereafter a Japanese radio station will send another message back to the Japanese fleet that AF has just run out of fresh water. And now for the first time, they know it's Midway.
[4:44]Nimitz dispatches his three remaining aircraft carriers and a supporting fleet towards Midway.
[5:02]At 6:30 AM, Japanese aircraft attack Midway and inflict heavy damage.
[5:16]The battle starts off really going perfectly according to the Japanese plan.
[8:18]At Midway, its dive bombers find and attack the American carrier Yorktown.
[8:46]After attempting to save her for hours, the Yorktown's captain finally orders the crew to abandon ship.
[9:01]But the Hiru's victory is short-lived.
[9:07]American bombers find it and sink the fourth Japanese carrier of the day.
[9:17]12 hours after the first Japanese attack, Yamamoto's plans to deliver a decisive blow to the US fleet has collapsed. Instead, America has delivered a devastating and decisive blow of its own. Four of Yamamoto's carriers are at the bottom of the ocean. 3,000 of his men are killed. This is a turning point.
