42 - The Battle of the Coral Sea
The WW2 Podcast
Angus Wallace
4.6 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 1 May 2017
⏱️ 44 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In January I had an email from Bob Drury, if that name sounds familiar it's because I chatted to Bob in episode 30 talking about Old 666. He wondered what I had planned for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.
As it happens I'd not actually thought about the Battle of the Coral Sea! Bob suggested that he and his writing partner of Lucky 666 Tom Calvin come on the podcast and have a chat.
The naval clash at in the Coral sea was pivotal in the war against Japan. Since the attack on Pearl Harbor nothing had stood in the way of the Japanese typhoon that had swept across the pacific. Fortress Singapore, the Dutch East Indies there was nothing seemingly the Royal Navy or Americans could do to stop them.
At the Coral Sea three Japanese Aircraft Carriers would face two US Carriers, this would be the first time a naval battle would take place without any belligerent ships seeing one another, it was a new war of carrier launched aircraft.
Was it a draw? Both sides withdrew. History shows us it would be a tactical victory for the Japanese and a strategic victory for the Americans. Perhaps more importantly it was the first time the Japanese were stopped.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to another World War II podcast in this episode we're looking at the Battle of the Coral Sea |
| 0:06.8 | But before we start if you enjoy the show why not become a patron with a small monthly contribution. By doing so you'll help me grow the |
| 0:16.2 | show. If you go to Patreon.com slash W.W.2 podcast you'll see some of the things I'd like to achieve, increase the size of my |
| 0:25.3 | hosting package, create an app to make it easy for people to find and access the show. |
| 0:30.9 | So if you enjoy the podcast and would like to help me make it better for everyone |
| 0:36.1 | go to patreon.com slash W. W.2 podcast or click on donate at W.W.2 podcast.com. In January I had an email from Bob Drury. |
| 0:50.6 | If that name sounds familiar is because I chatted to Bob in episode 30, talking about old |
| 0:57.0 | 666. He wondered why I had planned for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Cold Sea. |
| 1:04.0 | As it happens, I had not actually thought about the Battle of the Coral Sea. |
| 1:08.0 | Bob suggested that he and his writing partner of Lucky 666, Tom Calvin, come on the podcasts and have a chat. |
| 1:16.0 | Not only have they written about the exploits of Jaysema and his B-17 crew flying in the Pacific, |
| 1:20.8 | but also Halsey's Typhoon, which recounts how Admiral Halsey found his |
| 1:26.5 | fleet of 170 ships in a massive typhoon in 1944. |
| 1:30.9 | Chaps, thanks for joining me. |
| 1:34.0 | So I guess we all know the day of infamy, |
| 1:37.0 | the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 41, |
| 1:40.0 | and from then the Imperial Japanese Navy had exploded across the Pacific. |
| 1:46.0 | So where are we by mid-42? |
| 1:52.0 | Bob? |
| 1:53.0 | By May of 1942, six months after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese onslaught across the Pacific. |
| 1:59.6 | It's like algae floating on the Pacific. |
| 2:01.4 | They control one-eighth of the Earth's surface and of course |
... |
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