Final answer:
The Battle of the Coral Sea was a major naval engagement in May 1942 between American and Japanese forces. It marked the first time two naval fleets engaged each other by air rather than by sea, and it halted the Japanese advance towards Australia and Hawaii.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Battle of the Coral Sea was a major naval engagement in May 1942 between American and Japanese forces in the Pacific. American forces successfully defeated a Japanese invasion force targeting Australia and pushed the Japanese fleet back. This battle was significant because it marked the first time two naval fleets engaged each other by air rather than by sea, and it halted the Japanese advance towards Australia and Hawaii.