U.S. Carriers were at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th 1941

This could of crippled the U.S. navy long enough to give Japan the needed edge to finnish them. Eventually the U.S. would of caught up to them in carriers, but how long would it take, and how much would the japanese advance in that time?


I think that's a good what if!!

 

This is interesting If Japan had destroyed America's aircraft carriers, in a documentary I saw they seemed to suggest America would have come to some sort of agreement with Japan. In fact it went as far too suggest America would surrender on the grounds of a feared invasion by Japan on American soil.

 

Slipdigit, I agree with you the suggestion of surrender to prevent an invasion is one hell of a wide card, no I don't see America bowing down to Japan after what they did. It's true to say America would have been slowed down in her entry in to the war but the result would still be the same, Japan would be defeated.

 

So, what are you guys thinking about the chance that the Japenese would be able to advance further west. I'm not thinking of the homeland here, but more of Wake, and maybe even Pearl? With the lack of Carriers the advantage would be for them

 

First, the US would have lost at most three carriers: Enterprise, Lexington and, Saratoga. These would initially have been replaced by Hornet, Yorktown and, Wasp. Admiral Pye's battleline by May 1942 would have stood at 10 to 12 BB in addition, just as it did historically.
So, even sinking all three carriers gives Japan an ephemerial advantage that evaporates quickly.
Next, had the US been truly pressed for more carriers in a hurry part of Warplan Orange was to convert a dozen large passenger ships to carriers with the first completing about four months after being taken in hand by the yards. These could have filled the gap until new construction came on line.
The US also had options in the SWPA for persuing a more land based war just as they did originally.
Japan has absolutely, and I mean absolutely, no chance of successfully invading and taking Hawaii. Their largest amphibious assault was two divisions in size with no real follow on force. The US had in Hawaii two full infantry divisions plus a large number of additional units along with various marine forces. Ohau also had some of the heaviest coastal defenses of any location in the US....much heavier than in the Philippines for example. Also, unlike other areas where the Japanese invaded and were successful their tactics of maneuver, flanking operations, and exploiting their opponet's inability to respond these are not the case in Hawaii where they are invading a relatively small island and will have to go head to head with the US defenders.
So, at best, the loss of the three carriers based out of Pearl Harbor would have changed little in the Pacific war.

 

WOW.. well put!!! End of discussion

 

The US was going have one fleet carrier per month join in operations beginning in the summer of 1943.

Japan's fate was essentially sealed by this fact, and theres nothing they could have done to change the outcome.