Carriers at Dawn: the Battle of Coral Sea -- May 1942 How Codebreaking, Carrier Aviation, and Daring Leadership Turned a Tactical Draw into Strategic Victory in Pacific War

On May 7, 1942, the world witnessed the dawn of a new kind of naval warfare-a battle where aircraft carriers struck each other from over the horizon, and the opposing fleets never saw one another.In the Coral Sea, a Japanese invasion force aimed to seize Port Moresby and cut Allied supply lines to Australia. But American codebreakers had read Tokyo's plans, and two carrier task forces raced to intercept. What followed was a chaotic, four-day clash of dive-bombers, torpedo planes, and fighter pilots-a battle that cost the U.S. the carrier Lexington but blunted Japan's advance and set the stage for Midway. In Carriers at Dawn, you'll experience this pivotal engagement through vivid narrative, 15 clear maps and diagrams, and the voices of the men who fought.Inside, you will discover: - How codebreaking gave Nimitz a crucial early warning- Why the sinking of Shoho was a tactical masterpiece- The dramatic loss of Lexington-and what it taught the Navy- How Japanese overconfidence led to a strategic reversal- Clear phase diagrams of every carrier strike and counterstrike- Why Coral Sea was a draw that became a decisive victoryPacked with chapter timelines, key takeaways, and a quick-reference appendix, this is the definitive account for anyone who wants to understand the first carrier battle-and how it changed the war.