Whirlwind: War in the Pacific tells the story of how America achieved this staggering turnaround using accounts of the three key Pacific battles of 1942:

​

Pearl Harbor

Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941, thousands of American lives were lost and their military resources diminished. The story of the raid is one of Japanese military skill meeting American courage, officially drawing the US into the Second World War.

 

Coral Sea

In 1942 two US aircraft carriers challenged a Japanese invasion hoping to take Port Moresby in New Guinea. The fate of the Pacific hung in the balance. The Americans suffered heavy losses during the conflict, but the battle was the triumph the US desperately needed.

​

Midway

The Midway battle saw four massive Japanese aircraft carriers pitted against three huge American carriers in a battle for domination of the Pacific. The battle raged over three days, full of setbacks for either side – until Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo suffered the greatest naval defeat in history.

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​