In the month of March 1941 the Americans agree to help the British by protecting their holdings (including Australia and New-Zeland) so that they can retreive some of their troops. So when they crack a japanese order to send 14 transports to Rabaul for an eventual landing at Port Moresby (Mo-go operation) with the 4th light fleet including the carrier Shoho under the orders of admiral Goto and a cover assured by admiral Takagi with the carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku, the Americans send 2 groups of ships centered around the carriers Yorktown (under the orders of Fletcher) and Lexington (under the orders of Fitch) to intercept the 4th japanese fleet. The two adversaries meet in the Coral Sea from May 6th to May 8th. The Coral Sea Battle is stated in every naval war book has being a major modern battle since it was the first time ever where the enemy ships will never see each other: the airplane is the weapon.
May 7th the american airplanes take off and spot the 4th japanese fleet with its carriers Shoho, Shokaku and Zuikaku. The 93 torpedo-bombers under the orders of Fletcher attack the ship group and sink the Shoho; this is the first japanese heavy ship sunken since the beginning of the war. On May 8th the Japaneses attack the smaller carrier Yorktown but it snakes its way around the all the bombs and torpedos except one that pierce its take off bridge without any major damage. The Lexington also receive explosives but its bulkier shape make it slower and the Japaneses attack it from both front sides (anvil tactic: simultaneous attacks from 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock). So after a few evasions the Lexington is hit by two torpedos portside and three engine rooms are drowned and thus the ship is heeling. Two bombs then hit it while the men aboard were transferring gas from one side to the other to stop the heeling but without any further damages and so the Lexington can keep its high speed of 24 knots. At 14h45, as the ship seems out of danger, two explosions onboard put the fires out of control and the ship start heeling again. The patrolling aircrafts of the Lexington land on the Yorktown and the order is given to abandon the ship and the planes on board. The carrier is sunk later with torpedos. While the Japaneses were attacking, the Americans planes also attack and disable the Shokaku and oblige the Japaneses to retreat to Rabaul towing their carrier.
If we consider only that battle the winning side is the Japaneses that have lost only their carrier Shoho and one destroyer while sinking the american carrier Lexington, the destroyer Sims and the tanker Neosho (which was thought to be a carrier by the pilots). The Americans had spread their firepower too much and so they lacked coordination. On the other side the Japaneses thought wiser to have only one front against airplanes and submarines.
But if we consider the whole impact, the Americans win since the damages inflicted to the Japaneses (Shoho sunk, Shokaku disabled for long and Zuikaku's planes obliterated) oblige them to forget for a moment a landing at Port Moresby since they have greater plans and uses for their precious ships and aircrafts (the attack of Midway and of the Aleutians).
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