The+Battle+of+Coral+Sea

//**Name:**// Kei Tottori

//**Age:**// 18

//**Hometown:**// Los Angeles, California, the Little Tokyo section

//**Birthday:**// May 11, 1924


 * //Relationship//:** Married

//**Occupation:**// Farmer //**History:**// My grandparents on my mother's side moved here to start a better life. When my mother was born in the U.S., though, she was still considered Japanese. Later she met my father at her school. They got married and stayed in California.He went to college and she stayed at home to raise us kids. They learned that the government said that anyone born in and after 1924 was considered Japanese American. Well I just made the cut and my parents were very happy because it could give me a better life than the ones they had. My older brother isn't as lucky, but my younger sister is. So I consider myself American, though still Japanese.

__**The Battle of Coral Sea**__
In May earlier this year, a few days before my birthday, the Battle of Coral Sea occurred. Now it seems like such a long time ago but it was only two months. It all started with Japan. The Japanese sent some ships, with planes on them, to try to capture Port Moresby, which is on New Guinea's coast ("Battle" 1). This would give them the way to cut off Australia from help and take it easily, which America doesn't want. We did not learn of the battle until days later when the fighting had already died out. The newspapers said our navy was told by a "superior communication intelligence" of the attack Japan was setting out on ("Battle" 1). When the Japanese fighters saw the American ships, they tried to bomb them ("The Battle" 1). Well we weren't going to take that lying down, so we went out into the fight. The U.S. Navy sent carriers, heavy cruisers, and destroyers into the fight, but no boat ever had contact. The entire fight was done by aircraft ("The Battle" 1; Springer 1).



The Japanese continued to attack New Guinea, because they believed they could overcome us ("The Battle" 1). We did not, though, make it that simple. I believe our planes went into the fight full of courage. Yes, we gave the Japanese a good fight. And after about three days attacking on both sides,Japan had to call off the attack on Port Moresby ("The Battle" 1). We believe they were scared we would defeat them. In the mornings, when the fight was going to start, each side sent out planes to find the other. It wasn't until the last day that they each found one another at the same time ("The Battle" 1).



The Japanese were technically the winners of the battle in terms of points. The U.S., however, won strategically. We all felt this was the first blow back against them after the attack on Pearl Harbor a few months before ("Battle" 1). Both sides lost planes, men, and ships. This was a temporary set back for the Japanese, which benefited us. We needed the time to regroup and build for any more attacks from Japan and the war in Europe.

//**Information Works Cited**//

"Battle of the Coral Sea, 7-8 May 1942." __Naval Historical Center__. 2001. 23 Oct. 2007. <[|http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/coralsea/coralsea.htm>.]

"The Battle of Coral Sea." __World War Two__. 2007. 23 Oct. 2007. <[|http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/battle_of_coral_sea.htm>.]

Springer,Emiliano. "The Battle of the Coral Sea." 23 Oct. 2007 .

//**Pictures Works Cited**//

http://www.ccrh.org/comm/moses/image/mosel/japwmn.jpg

http://www.ccrh.org/comm/moses/image/mosel/japwmn.jpg

http://www.delsjourney.com/images/family_history/ww2/neosho/coral_sea/maps/Battle_of_the_Coral_Sea_Map_-_Japanese_Plan_-_69dpi.gif