Midway Inquest: Why the Japanese Lost the Battle of Midway

Midway, the most famous naval battle in American history, has been the
subject of many excellent books. However, none satisfactorily explain why the
Japanese lost that battle, given their overwhelming advantage in firepower. While no
book may ever silence debate on the subject, Midway Inquest answers the central
mystery of the battle. Why could the Japanese not get a bomber strike launched
against the American carrier force before being attacked and destroyed by American
dive bombers from the Enterprise and Yorktown? Although it is well known that the
Japanese were unable to launch an immediate attack because their aircraft were in
the process of changing armament, why wasn't the rearming operation reversed and an
attack launched before the American planes arrived? Based on extensive research in
Japanese primary records, Japanese literature on the battle, and interviews with
over two dozen Japanese veterans from the carrier air groups, this book solves the
mystery at last.