War Begins
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy made a surprise air attack on Pearl Harbor, headquarters of the US Pacific Fleet. The next day, the US congress voted for war against Japan.
Japan identified seven major objectives for the war, and moved quickly to complete them while America recovered from the attack on Pearl Harbor. By the spring of 1942, Japan had succeeded in capturing: Malaya, Singapore, Borneo, the Philippines, New Guinea, and Many Pacific Islands.
On May 7-8, 1942, the Americans stopped the Japanese southern expansion in the Battle of the Coral Sea. At the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942, the Americans sunk 4 Japanese aircraft carriers and had its first major victory against the Imperial Navy.