1. Early Battles

2. Holding the Line Against Japan
Although Japanese had badly damaged the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, they had missed the American aircraft carriers, which were at sea on a mission.
Admiral Chester Nimitz was determined to use them, however in the days after Pearl Harbor he was hard pressed to stop Japan’s advance into Southeast Asia

3. Fall of the Philippines
A few hours after they attacked Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked American airfields in the Philippines. Two days later, Japanese troops landed in the islands. The American and Filipino forces defending the Philippines were badly outnumbered. The Commander, General Douglas MacArthur, decided to retreat to the rugged terrain of the Bataan Peninsula. They held out for three months until the lack of supplies, diseases such as malaria, scurvy, and dysentery took their toll. Instead of a demoralizing capture of American forces, FDR ordered the general to evacuate to Australia, where MacArthur made the promise, “I came through, I shall return.”
April 9, 1942, the leftover weary defenders of Bataan finally surrendered. Nearly 78,000 prisoners of war were forced to march – sick, exhausted, and starving – 65 miles to a Japanese prison camp. Thousands died on this march, which came to be known as the Bataan Death March.

10. Doolittle Raid
Even before the fall of the Philippines, FDR was looking for a way to raise the morale of the American people. He wanted to bomb Tokyo, but American bombers could only reach Tokyo if an aircraft carrier brought them close enough. The Japanese ships in the North Pacific prevented that.
They decided to try sending B-25s instead of the short range bombers. The only problem was that they could take off from a carrier but could not land on a carrier. So after bombing Japan, they would have to land in China.
Lt. James Doolittle was in command of the mission. On April 18, 1942, American bombs fell on Japan for the first time!

13. The Battle of Midway – The code breakers also intercepted Japan’s plans to attack Midway. Admiral Nimitz immediately ordered carriers to take up positions near Midway. Unaware Japan was heading into an ambush, the Japanese launched their aircraft against Midway on June 4, America was ready and shot down 38 Japanese airplanes in one day with anti-aircraft fire.
Japan prepared a second wave and aircraft from 3 American carriers launched a counterattack. Within minutes, three Japanese carriers were reduced to burning wrecks and a fourth was sunk. By nightfall it was apparent that the Americans had dealt the Japanese navy a deadly blow.
The Battle of Midway was a turning point in the war!