Akagi ("Red Castle") was an
aircraft carrier built for the
Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), named after
Mount Akagi in present-day
Gunma Prefecture. Though she was
laid downas an
Amagi-class battlecruiser,
Akagi was converted to an aircraft carrier while still under construction to comply with the terms of the
Washington Naval Treaty. The ship was rebuilt from 1935 to 1938 with her original three
flight decks consolidated into a single enlarged flight deck and an
island superstructure. The second Japanese aircraft carrier to enter service, and the first large or
"fleet" carrier,
Akagi and the related
Kaga figured prominently in the development of the IJN's new carrier striking force doctrine that grouped carriers together, concentrating their air power. This doctrine enabled Japan to attain its strategic goals during the early stages of the
Pacific War from December 1941 until mid-1942.
Akagi's aircraft served in the
Second Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s. Upon the formation of the
First Air Fleet or
Kido Butai (Striking Force) in early 1941, she became its
flagship, and remained so for the duration of her service. With other fleet carriers, she took part in the
Attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the
invasion of Rabaul in the Southwest Pacific in January 1942. The following month, her aircraft
bombed Darwin, Australia, and assisted in the
conquest of the Dutch East Indies. In March and April 1942,
Akagi's aircraft helped sink a British
heavy cruiser and an Australian
destroyer in the
Indian Ocean Raid.
After a brief refit,
Akagi and three other fleet carriers of the
Kido Butai participated in the
Battle of Midway in June 1942. After bombarding American forces on
the atoll,
Akagi and the other carriers were attacked by aircraft from Midway and the carriers
Enterprise,
Hornet, and
Yorktown.
Dive bombers from
Enterprise severely damaged
Akagi. When it became obvious she could not be saved, she was
scuttled by Japanese destroyers to prevent her from falling into enemy hands. The loss of
Akagi and three other IJN carriers at Midway was a crucial strategic defeat for Japan and contributed significantly to the Allies' ultimate victory in the Pacific.