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The Battle of Midway, fought from June 4 to June 7, 1942, marked a pivotal moment in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. This battle substantially altered the balance of naval power by significantly diminishing the Japanese carrier forces. Before Midway, the Japanese navy boasted a fleet strong enough to dominate the Pacific with seven large flight decks. By the battle's conclusion, however, the Japanese had lost four of their best carriers without equivalent losses on the American side, which only saw the sinking of USS Yorktown. As a result, the American forces regained parity in carrier strength, a critical advantage that would set the stage for future offensives.