Question

Which 1942 battle was a decisive victory for the United States in the Pacific theater of World War II?

Answer 1

The battle of the Coral Sea.

Explanation:

The U.S. Navy caught a large contingent of the Japanese navy off guard. The Japanese were planning an invasion of New Guinea which required their using a large number of seaborne aircraft. The U.S. so severely damaged the Japanese carriers that they were unable to mount the attack they wanted. But it was also a huge victory for the United States considering the battle was fought a mere 5 months after Pearl Harbor and the U.S. Pacific fleet had been greatly damaged in that first battle.

The Battle of the Coral Sea combined with the Battle for Midway ended any chance the Japanese had for dominating the Pacific Ocean. Their losses were to great to recover from.