logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2022
49m 25s

The Battle of Midway

History Hit
About this episode

On the 4th of June 1942, the US Navy took on the might of Japan's Imperial Navy in the battle of Midway. It was America's Trafalgar! At the end of the fighting devastating losses had been inflicted on the Japanese and the entire strategic position in the Pacific was upended in favour of the Allies. Never again would Japan be able to project power across the ocean as it had done at Pearl Harbour. In this explainer episode, Dan takes you through this key turning point in the Pacific War. He examines the key intelligence that allowed the American Navy to turn the tables on the Japanese fleet, a blow by blow account of the battle itself, the terrible human cost of the fighting and the aftermath of this decisive American victory. 


Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore


If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.

Up next
Aug 21
Emperor Nero
Emperor Nero has gone down in history as the archetypal bad ruler - cruel, decadent, and perhaps even responsible for setting Rome ablaze. But how much of this is fact, and how much is propaganda?Dr Shushma Malik from the University of Cambridge joins us to dive into Nero’s reign ... Show More
45m 16s
Aug 19
The Colosseum
Join Dan in Rome as he unravels the dramatic story of the Colosseum and the gladiators who fought — and died — for glory. From the origins of gladiatorial combat in funerary rites to the elaborate, politically charged spectacles of the Imperial era, Dan reveals what it took to re ... Show More
1h 12m
Aug 17
Napoleon in Paris
Napoleon Bonaparte dreamed Paris would be the 'capital city of the universe' and much of what we see - and love - about Paris is thanks to him. The long straight boulevards, the fountains, the galleries and museums- even the bread that comes with European cuisine were brought in ... Show More
48m 11s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2023
194 - The Battle of Leyte Gulf
The battle of Leyte Gulf was the largest naval battle of WWII, it consisted of four separate actions near the Philippines between the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Japanese plan was to disrupt the American landings on the island of Leyte. In one respect, the plan wa ... Show More
1h 5m
Dec 2021
155 - Pearl Harbor
7th December 2021 marks the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor that brought the United States of America into the Second World War. On the morning of 7th December 1941, just before 8am the Japanese launched their attack on the US naval base of Pearl Harbor in Honolulu ... Show More
45m 14s
Mar 2023
WW2: Naval Power
In accounts of the Second World War, the role Navy's played is often overlooked. But the Navy's of both the Allied and Axis forces engaged in some of the biggest maritime campaigns in history. From near total elimination of forces, to epic sea battles, the Second World War change ... Show More
44m 50s
Aug 2020
Episode 13 : Pearl Harbor : l’entrée en guerre des États-Unis.
Le 7 décembre 1941, sans déclaration de guerre, le Japon lance une attaque aéronavale contre la flotte américaine du Pacifique basée à Pearl Harbor dans l’archipel des îles Hawaï. Son but : empêcher les Américains de contrecarrer la politique expansionniste du Japon en Asie du Su ... Show More
29m 53s
Aug 2020
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
On 7 December 1941, Japan launched a surprise strike on the American naval base, Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii. Thousands of American servicemen were killed or injured in the attack, which severely damaged the US Pacific Fleet. The next day, President Franklin Roosevelt declared war on ... Show More
8m 58s
Apr 2022
Pearl Harbor, Part 1 of 3
On December 7th 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, changed the course of the Second World War. Forcing the United States into a conflict they were reluctant to enter, the attack killed over 2,500 people. But was it an act of aggression, or desperation? How did the ... Show More
49m 11s
Sep 2023
WW2: How The War Ended
The Second World War officially ended on September 2nd 1945 - and it's estimated that around 3% of the Earth's population perished during the conflict. But what ultimately bought WW2 to an end - and how vital a role did the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki play in obtaining a J ... Show More
38m 16s
Mar 2021
Épisode 20 : La guerre dans le Pacifique.
Après Pearl Harbor le Japon se lance à la conquête des colonies occidentales en Asie du Sud-Est. Shanghai, Hongkong, Singapour, Guam, Wake son conquis en quelques jours ainsi que la Malaisie, la Birmanie et les Philippines. Mais la bataille navale de Midway va marquer le tournant ... Show More
30m 23s