American Minute for June 4th:
The turning point in the Pacific War began JUNE 4, 1942. American intelligence intercepted Japan's plans to capture Midway Island and from there, Hawaii. The outnumbered U.S. Pacific Fleet ambushed the Japanese armada, but was losing badly. It was not until American dive bombers, navigating by guess and by God, sighted the Japanese aircraft carriers far below through a break in the clouds at the precise moment the Japanese planes had left to attack the U.S.S. Yorktown. In just five minutes, the screeching American dive bombers sank three Japanese carriers, and a fourth shortly after. After this providential event, Japan was forced to go on the defensive. On the Pacific War, President Roosevelt said, August 12, 1943: "Three weeks after the armies of the Japanese launched their attack on Philippine soil, I sent a proclamation...to the people of the Philippines... that their freedom will be redeemed...The great day of your liberation will come, as surely as there is a God in Heaven." Roosevelt stated October 20, 1944: "On this occasion of the return of General MacArthur to Philippine soil...we renew our pledge. We and our Philippine brothers in arms - with the help of Almighty God - will drive out the invader."
Endnotes:
Battle of Midway. June 4-6, 1942. Robert C. Kiste, Ph.D., Director & Professor, University of Hawaii Center for Pacific Islands Studies, "Midway Island," World Book Online Americas Edition, ttp://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/360580, October 20, 2001. James L. Stokesbury, Ph.D., Former Professor of History, Acadia University; author, Navy & Empire & A Short History of Air Power, "World War II," World Book Online Americas Edition, http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/610460, October 20, 2001.
