The early battle that cost Japan the war

The Battle of Midway was more than the turning point of World War II. When you try to imagine what the world would be like today if that battle had been lost, the mind boggles.

The battle, which took place from June 4-7, 1942, marked the end of the expansion of Japanese forces in the Pacific and Asia, and for the Japanese empire, the beginning of the end.

The Japanese force, which intended to invade and capture the American-held atoll just 1,300 miles from Honolulu, was substantially more powerful than any force Adm. Chester Nimitz could send to oppose it.

But the Japanese were badly out-maneuvered in the naval and air battle that ensued. When the smoke cleared, the Japanese had lost four aircraft carriers, a battleship, a cruiser and 332 aircraft. The Americans lost the aircraft carrier Yorktown, the destroyer Hamman and 147 aircraft.

But Japan's momentum was lost, and a substantial part of its fleet was crippled. The three years of bloody island-hopping toward Tokyo that followed were long and hard, but after Midway, the outcome was never in doubt.

Americans should pause this week to reflect on and pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice that turned the tide 60 years ago in the Pacific and 58 years ago tomorrow in Europe with the D-Day invasion.