Turning Point Battles in World War II
Stalingrad and Midway Changed the Direction of the Second World War
Nov 14, 2009
Every prolonged war has turning points, some minor and others major. Major turning points significantly affect the outcome of the war, forcing the aggressor to revert to fighting a defensive war. In World War II, both the battles of Midway and Stalingrad fit this description. In some cases, turning points open the door to long-term events that ultimately cripple the enemy as with Saratoga in the American Revolution (1777) and Vicksburg and Gettysburg during the Civil War (1863). World War II had major turning points, but there were also minor ones that, through cause and effect, made the major turning points possible.
1942 Turning Points in the Pacific War
Few historians will deny that the naval battle at Midway in early June 1942 was the central turning point of the Pacific War. Vice-Admiral Nagumo’s loss of four carriers and his inability to take Midway Island represented a military and psychological defeat that began the slow process of liberating Japanese held positions in Asia.
Before Midway, however, two United States’ actions qualify as minor turning points. The Doolittle Raid, during which American bombers attacked Japanese cities including Tokyo after being launched from the carrier Hornet, was a psychological morale builder for Americans while demonstrating to the Japanese that the Home Islands were vulnerable to attack. The American “sleeping giant,” as Admiral Yamamoto called the U.S., was ready to strike back six months after Pearl Harbor.
Finally, the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 represented a minor turning point that denied the Japanese Australia and began the process of allied island-hopping. Operation MO was costly for Yamamoto who knew that unless Japanese military goals were not completed swiftly, the U.S. would have time to build a new battle fleet superior to Japan’s.
Turning Points in the European War
Although the 1942 Battle of Stalingrad was the decisive turning point in the European war, there were other minor turning points that ultimately led to the weakening of German strength and resolve. The Luftwaffe’s failure to force British surrender after the relentless bombing of London and other English cities was certainly a set-back. Once the United States entered the war after Pearl Harbor, Britain would be the staging ground for the invasion of Europe.
General Bernard Montgomery’s defeat of Field Marshal Rommel’s Afrika Corps and the subsequent expulsion of Germany from North Africa can be considered another minor turning point. Securing North Africa and protecting the vital Suez Canal enabled allied forces to cross the Mediterranean and invade Italy, liberating that country and resulting in the overthrow of Mussolini.
On the Russian front, Hitler’s failure to conquer Leningrad and Moscow may be deemed minor turning points, even if only psychological. The people of Leningrad held out for 1,000 days and over a million perished. But Hitler was denied the city. Similarly, German armies, although close to Moscow, were never able to take the city, albeit because Hitler’s own goals changed as he focused instead on southern Russia and the rich oil fields.
The Role of Turning Points
Much in history is dictated by cause and effect. The effects of the minor turning points in many ways made victory possible at the major turning points in prolonged conflicts. Although Admiral Nagumo’s task force did not participate at Coral Sea, his ships were being overhauled in Japan after months of combat duty including a foray into the Indian Ocean. Nagumo’s performance at Midway was directly linked to the level of preparedness following earlier campaigns in 1942. The same correlations can be made between the other minor and major turning points of World War II.
Sources:
- Paul S. Dull, A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy (1941-1945) (Annapolis: United States Naval Institute, 1978)
- Lynn Montross, War Through the Ages, 3rd Ed (New York: Harper & Row, 1960)
 |
