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My take on the Pacific War if Midway had gone the other way
Everyone loves the scenario where Japan wins at Midway and pushes to Hawaii, but I think that's overblown. I was stationed at Pearl Harbor back in 2011 for a tour, and walking the decks of the Missouri, I realized Japan's logistics were already stretched too thin by June 1942. They lost 4 carriers, sure, but even with 2 extra, they couldn't hold Guadalcanal or supply a fleet that far from home. Has anyone actually run the numbers on fuel consumption for that 3,000 mile round trip?
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ryan_shah381mo agoProlific Poster
Did Yamamoto's fleet actually have enough oilers for that round trip, or was that already a losing hand?
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jade_jenkins1mo ago
Man, @ryan_shah38, you're asking the real question nobody wants to dig into because the answer is basically "no way, Jose." The fuel math was already sketchy before they even left home port, like me trying to budget for groceries after payday and then buying a new mouse for my laptop anyway. They had enough oilers on paper, sure, but the round trip to Midway was a stretch and the whole plan hinged on a quick hit and run that didn't happen. Once the carriers started burning and zigzagging, the fuel situation went from tight to "oops, we're drifting while the tanks read empty." Honestly, that fleet was running on hope and a prayer, and hope doesn't fill a tank.
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