The Battle of Midway

Famous photo of the USS Yorktown ablaze during the battle

It was eighty four years ago that one of the most decisive days in military history occred.  Technically the battle lasted for several days.  But today is the day people remember.  Not that the US had no significant advantages, but the Japanese definitely had many on their side.  Not the least of which - so it appeared - being their superior grasp of the fledgling carrier combat doctrine. 

But we all know how it turned out.  My mom's older brother was on Midway island proper.  It appeared to be, as the Duke of Wellington remarked about Waterloo, the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life, until it wasn't.  

If you're interested, watch the below video.  I'm usually skeptical about Internet video versions of history, though there are some good productions out there.  I wouldn't say I'd take everything the fellow in the video says as gospel truth.  But he does an excellent - and I mean, excellent - job of unpacking the battle from the Japanese point of view.  He uses 'the fog of war' to keep the viewer from knowing any more than what the Japanese knew.  And he unpacks how America's own bumbling approach to carrier warfare ended up saving the day.  If you have time, I heartily recommend it.