Japan's third wave

[elvis]

If Japan had launched the third wave at Pearl like they had originally planned, how would it have affected the war?

 

[Xenophon]

It would have prolonged it, but not significantly.

Despite all the spying japan had done, that had the wrong plans for where the oil fuel bunkerages were.

They had an old blueprint and bombed that target, which turned out to be a baseball diamond, the bunkers had been built elsewhere. This was the real value of Pearl, without the bunkers it was useless as a fleet base and ships would have to sorte from the US west coast.

A third wave probaly would have destroyed the remaining BBs and some of the cruisers, but the Japanese had no intention of attacking the actual docks and repair facilities.

 

[Mad Scientist]

It would have prolonged it, but not significantly.
Despite all the spying japan had done, that had the wrong plans for where the oil fuel bunkerages were.
They had an old blueprint and bombed that target, which turned out to be a baseball diamond, the bunkers had been built elsewhere. This was the real value of Pearl, without the bunkers it was useless as a fleet base and ships would have to sorte from the US west coast.
A third wave probaly would have destroyed the remaining BBs and some of the cruisers, but the Japanese had no intention of attacking the actual docks and repair facilities.

Japan also missed our Carriers which were out to sea that morning. If the third wave could have found those Carriers and done some damage then yes the outcome of the war could have been different.

 

[Xenophon]

They may have found Enterprise which was inbound, but Lexington was still half way between Wake and Hawaii, and Yorktown was near San diego.

 

[elvis]

They may have found Enterprise which was inbound, but Lexington was still half way between Wake and Hawaii, and Yorktown was near San diego.

where were Hornet and Saratoga?

 

[Xenophon]

Hornet was not yet in commission, she was still working up her air group in the Carribean.

Saratoga was also in California and Lexington was in the Atlantic.

 

[p kirkes]

OK, If the Japanese had launched the third wave and were successful in destroying or severely damaging our fuel supply AND sinking the inbound carrier Enterprise would that have affected the length of the Pacific war?

Not the outcome, the awakening of the sleeping giant was done, Japan's defeat was assured. Would it have taken longer, depends on what battles would have ensued had Pearl Harbor damage been more extensive.

But it was a foregone conclusion, even in Yamamoto's mind, that Japan would not prevail. The Japanese Army Leadership felt that the Americans would lose heart and quit. Big mistake.

The strategic aim of the Japanese was not conquest of America or American soil, but to knock us out of the Pacific as a major player. Even though Alaska was invaded that was just a feint and all knew it as such.

The US strategy was to defeat Germany first then Japan. We pretty much followed that plan. The American industrial war machine was just getting into high gear by '43. II RC Japan did not construct a single major warship after the war began, just completed what was in the slips.

Our submarine and bomber forces were not affected by Pearl Harbor and that was what really brought down the Japanese Empire. They choked off the oil supply and other raw materials, destroyed their cities and industrial base, all pre-atomic bomb.

The Island hopping strategy was a compromise between General MacArthur (Army) who had made a promise to the phillipineo's to return and Admiral Nimitz (Navy) for a big piece of the war pie.

If that competitive strategy had not existed the conduct of the war would have been different. I think American would have had to build bigger and better Submarines to strangle the Pacific Island Fortresses. The Germans used that in WW2 to great affect, just didn't have the means to destroy the might of the American war machine either.

So, would the war have been longer, no. The atomic bomb once on line would settle the matter regardless of where our forces were in the pacific. Would the conduct of the war have been different, yes. If Enterprise and our other carriers were sunk at Pearl harbor, the Battle of Midway, which is generally accepted as the turning point, would not have occured.