Wasn't the decision not to intern the Nissei in Hawaii based more out of practicality/economics (They made up like 90 percent of the population of the Islands) then any sort of moral opposition?
Remember the Texas! The United States in World War II (an alternate history)
- Thread starter galveston bay
- Start date
Wasn't the decision not to intern the Nissei in Hawaii based more out of practicality/economics (They made up like 90 percent of the population of the Islands) then any sort of moral opposition?
Driftless
Donor
There was a mix of both - racism and logistics. One of the calculations made and discarded was deporting the Japanese to the mainland, but nowhere near enough shipping. plus nowhere near enough space for local internment camps.
I am not sure I agree with you. As to the Philippines President Manuel Quezon flirted with the idea of declaring the Philippines independent and neutral. MacArthur was not recalled to US Service until July 26, 1941 so he would not be constrained from supporting Quezon. I am not sure exactly what FDR would have done. Wake probably could have been ignored. It is sort in the middle of nowhere. The US felt no compulsion to recapture it and to my knowledge that was never seriously considered. That leaves Guam. Could the Japanese simply ignore it? It was not heavily defended and was limited strategic value. Originally a coaling station even when recaptured it was not used as a supply base as it did not have a harbor for the fleet. Japan at least nominally left Macau alone during the war.
If the US were at war with Germany in June 1941 there might well have been less incentive for economic sanctions on Japan. Rather than specific anti Japanese embargos there would have been a general imposition of restraint on exports of strategic materials. How would Japan reacted to that?
Quezon considered that in early February of 1942 after the Japanese had invaded and were pushing MacArthur's forces around like a dust mop. He had been evac'd to Corregidor and MacArthur was refusing to provde him and his Cabinet transport to Mindanao because it was "unsafe". After MacArthur and his staff were awarded "bonuses" for they excellent work (Mac's was $500K in 1941 USD, depending on how you measure things, that is a hair under $900K to slightly over $3M in 2021 dollars) suddenly the trip was authorized.
Wish to God I was making this up.
The U.S. ignored Wake because it had found its own path to break into the Japanese Perimeter, through the Solomons and then through the Gilberts and Marshalls. Guam absolutely could not be ignored. The Japaneses considered Saipan to be a jewel in their extended Empire, they had settled north of 20K civilians on the Island and had long term plans to make it into another Formosa. Guam was 100 miles away and had enough space to become a MAJOR U.S. military base (which is exactly what happened IOTL). Leave Wake, Guanm and Luzon/The Philippines in American hands and you don't have a defensive perimeter, you have a colander.
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While it is the Author's fiat to go in whatever direction he chooses, I have to say that, excepting an earlier exchange of technology, and perhaps some operational advice there is no real incentive for the U.S. to adopt, well, anything that didn't happen IOTL (e.g. Merlin engine, basic LST design). There is only a six MONTH time shift, that isn't enough to really change anything production-wise. The B-17/B-24 soldiered throughout the war with the Wright 1820 Cyclones and P&W 1830 Twin Wasp engines they started with, despite the availability of far more powerful engines like the Wright 2600 and P&W 2000. Screwing with engines will cause delays in production, simply due the need to retool without even considering changing in weight distribution, cowling or fuel line locations. Even tactical advice on Fighter Direction simply isn't going to come up. The USN didn't really twig to how much better a handle the British had on it until the U.S. was down to one deck and had to beg/borrow a deck from the RN (HMS Victorious aka USS Robin).
The TBF Avenger is going to show up pretty much on the same schedule. The FACTORY where the aircraft was built opened (taste the Irony) on December 7th, 1941 at nearly the exact same time the Japanese attacked Pearl. Same goes for every other American platform. There may be a couple months improvement when "cost is no object" becomes more than a phrase, but that is really it. The U.S. needed to get off the Dime as soon as the ink dried on the Two Oceans Navy Act in early August of 1940. That gives you a solid year+ head start on OTL.
As far as armor, again, why? The British thanked God when the U.S. started supplying the M3 Lee to their forces in North Africa. Ugly ass thing ruled the desert, the 75mm sponson gun outranged the primary Africa Corps 50mm AT gun, the Pz. III main gun and utterly dominated both Italian and German light tanks. Damned thing was stupid reliable (an on-going theme for U.S. vehicles throughout the war), had the biggest stick on the playground (and it came with, wonders of wonders, HE shells so you could kill machine gun nests all day long) and it was, for the period, heavily armored. It was obsolete a year later when the Sherman came on the scene just before Operation Torch, but in mid 1941-42? Queen of the battlefield.
The TBF Avenger is going to show up pretty much on the same schedule. The FACTORY where the aircraft was built opened (taste the Irony) on December 7th, 1941 at nearly the exact same time the Japanese attacked Pearl. Same goes for every other American platform. There may be a couple months improvement when "cost is no object" becomes more than a phrase, but that is really it. The U.S. needed to get off the Dime as soon as the ink dried on the Two Oceans Navy Act in early August of 1940. That gives you a solid year+ head start on OTL.
As far as armor, again, why? The British thanked God when the U.S. started supplying the M3 Lee to their forces in North Africa. Ugly ass thing ruled the desert, the 75mm sponson gun outranged the primary Africa Corps 50mm AT gun, the Pz. III main gun and utterly dominated both Italian and German light tanks. Damned thing was stupid reliable (an on-going theme for U.S. vehicles throughout the war), had the biggest stick on the playground (and it came with, wonders of wonders, HE shells so you could kill machine gun nests all day long) and it was, for the period, heavily armored. It was obsolete a year later when the Sherman came on the scene just before Operation Torch, but in mid 1941-42? Queen of the battlefield.
Is it well suited to the North American model of production? CPR had more than a few issues adapting the Valentine to their production model.
On the subject of off the shelf designs, the Ram entered prototyping in June 1941 and will be entering general production in November. As a Lee derivative it'd probably be easily adapted to America's existing tank lines (and a Ram with Sherman ergonomics/a Sherman with a 57mm gun would be pretty handy).
Pretty much as above. I am not sufficiently educated in engineering history to make a lot of changes in that regard. The Lee was pretty powerful for a short time.. huge target profile of course, but on the other hand, a lot of advantages as Calbear indicates above. Plus I have a weakness for the old Humprey Bogart movie "Sahara"
I have to research a bit on Henry Ford though and Fords contribution to World War 2. Ford was huge in the Isolationist movement (and then there is his support for the publication for the "Protocols of Zion", that ugly hate document). I would expect him to drag his feet initially at least until the US is at war with Japan. I have to reread the timeline on Willow Run for example.
And of course reread the timeline on the A36/P51 going from the Allison engine to Merlin engine also requires a review.
McPherson
Banned
There are other options.
Map.
Chapter IV: Basic Strategy and Military Organization
*(^^^) One wants Wake Island to split the Japanese defense and get into the Gilberts a half year earlier.
That is Balmey 2.
Comments:
a. It is absolutely vital that the Americans learn about an integrated air defense system (Radar based ground controlled intercept); since there is no way the Japanese are ready to try anything before December 1941. They do not have their Indo-China buildup ready for Singapore, they need more aircraft production, CARDIV 5 is not ready. Neither are the special bombs or torpedoes ready, nor are the landing craft, nor are the Special Naval Landing Forces. That is six months of European War to figure out American air defense. See F.
A 6 month "gift" courtesy of that idiot U-boat captain means a much tougher war for Japan.
b. If air defense is the blessing for Pearl Harbor, then what about LANTFLT? The ASW swap will be useful earlier, because Drumbeat comes before Doenitz is really ready. He was not ready before in the RTL, but his planning staff now has six months less to figure some things out; for they do not the luxury of what-ifisms. They are also royally screwed in the middle of their Mediterranean U-boat deployment. And... Anything that gets Stark fired six months earlier is an added bonus for the USN.
c. The Lee/Grant is not ready. It does not see first model off the floor until August. The US is at war 1 July 1941. What can it get to North Africa right now to help the British hurt the Germans in America's name? Christie is sitting on his butt, but he knows how to build "Christie tanks". The Crusader is almost 80% American as is. Build it. Lees were built six months after mockup. How long to mockup an American version of the Crusader with British engineering drawings in hand? Six months I estimate. American built Crusaders will be better than British built Crusaders because US QC is frankly far superior. And as I wrote, the skip to Sherman will be quicker as the operational experience is gained. And... expect to see US divisions headed to Egypt by January of 1942. They will need tanks.
d. Aero engines. How much range did the Allison engined B-17 (XB-39) gain over its Curtiss Wright junk engined equivalent?
d sub a. 2,000 miles with 6,000 pounds of bombs= tactical radius of 650 miles.
d sub b. 3,300 miles with 6,000 pounds of bombs= tactical radius of 1,100 miles.
WHAT is wrong with that picture?
Put in a Bristol Hercules and see what happens. I split the baby at about 850 miles. That begins to look like Lancaster Performance and it means Uncle can have a Pacific bomber 2 years early.
Napier Saber weighs less than a Wright Duplex Cyclone and it does not have a history of catching fire and EXPLODING in flight. Guess what happened to the Douglas BTD? The airframe was fine, but a certain crap engine was problematic. The Napier Saber is ready right now not after a year of teething troubles.
Guess what other beast can use the Saber? The Avenger as in right now say in time for pilot familiarization and use before Midway?.
e. Sangamons. Stretched ones. Six months head start helps. Even slow CVL-AOs means things brighten up in the 2 Ocean War. Cause a Sangamon not only operates planes, she can refuel a fleet.
f. Since the USS Wasp will be making Malta runs earlier, she can cross train with HMS Furious and that might mean LANTFLT gets 4 channel and passes it on to PACFLT in time for Coral Sea. It also means that PACFLT could carry it into WATCHTOWER.
Late 1941. The First Lee did not get to the North Africa Front until after Crusader. The American tank present was the M3 Stuart (about 165 of them in that battle.). British trouble with the Crusader and her 57 mm gun was doctrine, not the tank. The thing could have fired HE. The British just decided that slugs were the way to go since the tank was supposed to kill tanks. They relied on Arty to nix AT guns and infantry when their tanks charged. I am sure that when Patton showed up, that would have changed.
McPherson
Banned
The Ram turret ring is a little tight for the NGF turret, BUT it is there. Bird in hand.
marathag
Banned
He really wanted to sell the Navy a V12, but they were stuck on radials.
From Ford: Decline and rebirth, 1933-1962 (1963)
It will be recalled that in June 1940 Henry Ford had begun to develop a liquid-cooled motor for his hypothetical 1000-a-day pursuit plane, and that after the plane was abandoned he had continued to develop the engine, confident that one day it would be used by some type of American airplanes. He had invested about $2,000,000 in the project, and by July 1941 had a motor practically ready for use. The basic design was evolved by an engineer named Cornelius Van Ranst. Sheldrick called him "a dreamer of the first rank, and a clever, clever designer," but thought that he lacked the toughness to stick with a design to the finish. Others had a better opinion of Van Ranst. And in this instance he had produced a brilliant design with a cylinder block and crankcase in one aluminum unit. The result was lightness combined with strength. A novel valve system helped to make the engine outstanding. The discussion of tanks, with its overtone of worry about power, now in mid-July of 1941 turned attention anew to Van Ranst's engine. Edsel Ford and Sorensen discussed the possibility of using it for the M-4, called in the engineers, and decided, says Sheldrick, "that by taking eight cylinders of the twelve-cylinder aircraft engine ... we could make an excellent tank engine." Van Ranst was told to plan an 8-cylinder adaptation. A week later, on July 22, Sheldrick had business in Washington, and took along some drawings of the proposed model. At dinner he showed them to Major Emerson Cummings of Army Ordnance. Cummings was immediately interested, and Sheldrick went back to report. No contract was drawn. "We were feeling quite patriotic about that time and we just started working on it on our own." Sorensen summoned the engineers, set a date, and snapped: "All right. Get busy and don't drag the seats of your pants. Tanks are being built and the Government has no engine for them."ss While this work went forward, the company was asked how quickly it could begin tank production. Edsel, Sorensen, Wibel, and Sheldrick went to Washington, and on September 17 inspected a model of the M-4. The design was not final, and automotive firms were asked to make suggestions. Sheldrick objected forcibly to the final drive housing in the front of the tank. He convinced Army officials that his position was sound, was told to redesign that unit, and had a new nose prepared by Ford engineers which was accepted October 20. Meanwhile, on September 19, the government had asked for a sample of the new Ford engine, and on October 10 the company agreed to manufacture the M-4. It proposed on October 23 that negotiations cover armor castings, armor plates, and a tank assembly plant costing $45,190,000. The Rouge steel technicians had developed a method for manufacturing armor with water-cooled dies. These prevented warpage (which had attended manufacture by water cooled sprays), and cut the time involved from two hours to less than eight minutes. On December 9 the government guaranteed adequate advances to build facilities for the production of 400 tanks a month. The M-4 thus became a Ford design in part as to body, and wholly as to engine; for the GAA-V-8, as Van Ranst's model was called, soon became the standard power unit for all medium tanks
...
American entry into the war had also found the tank program short of the production stage, though preparations were well along. Facilities for manufacture had been developed at Highland Park (314,144 sq. ft.) and the Rouge (189,200 sq. ft.) an aluminum foundry at the Lincoln plant and an armor plate building at the Rouge (finished July 12, 1942) being vital to the project. Production followed rapidly. On April 25 the first GAA engine was completed, a tank model was ready May 13, tests were successful, and on June 4 the first tank rolled off the assembly line, two months in advance of schedule. The Ford Motor Company made only 1683 M-4 tanks and 1035 M-10 tank destroyers, a second vehicle which it agreed to produce in the final contract of May 5, 1942. A number of reasons combined to cause a cancellation of its contracts. The government seems to have felt that Fisher Body and Chrysler could adequately manage the supply of medium tanks, and the Ford commitments with respect to both aircraft engines and bombers produced a shortage of workers which seemed to warrant reduction of the overall program in some important respect. Fisher by early 1945 had produced 16,000 tanks and tank destroyers and Chrysler 20,000, indicating their ample capacity. Ford, however, continued to supply two vital elements, armor plate and engines, for the M-4s. All told, it manufactured 26,954 engines for the regular tank-makers,14 on a model that was a distinctive contribution to the war program, justifying the foresight and persistence of Henry Ford. Because he had developed it at his own expense for a year and a half, Army Ordnance had a superior engine available at a time of critical need early in 1942.
-----
Again - SIX MONTHS. Not two years. Not ASB. 180 days. these sorts of changes simply doesn't make any sense at the time. From 80 year of hindsight? Most of it STILL doesn't make any sense. Moreover all that kit was available IOTL, none of it was touched, and the British would have loved for the U.S. to have used it, for budgetary reasons if nothing else.There are other options.
Map.
Chapter IV: Basic Strategy and Military Organization
*(^^^) One wants Wake Island to split the Japanese defense and get into the Gilberts a half year earlier.
That is Balmey 2.
Comments:
a. It is absolutely vital that the Americans learn about an integrated air defense system (Radar based ground controlled intercept); since there is no way the Japanese are ready to try anything before December 1941. They do not have their Indo-China buildup ready for Singapore, they need more aircraft production, CARDIV 5 is not ready. Neither are the special bombs or torpedoes ready, nor are the landing craft, nor are the Special Naval Landing Forces. That is six months of European War to figure out American air defense. See F.
A 6 month "gift" courtesy of that idiot U-boat captain means a much tougher war for Japan.
b. If air defense is the blessing for Pearl Harbor, then what about LANTFLT? The ASW swap will be useful earlier, because Drumbeat comes before Doenitz is really ready. He was not ready before in the RTL, but his planning staff now has six months less to figure some things out; for they do not the luxury of what-ifisms. They are also royally screwed in the middle of their Mediterranean U-boat deployment. And... Anything that gets Stark fired six months earlier is an added bonus for the USN.
c. The Lee/Grant is not ready. It does not see first model off the floor until August. The US is at war 1 July 1941. What can it get to North Africa right now to help the British hurt the Germans in America's name? Christie is sitting on his butt, but he knows how to build "Christie tanks". The Crusader is almost 80% American as is. Build it. Lees were built six months after mockup. How long to mockup an American version of the Crusader with British engineering drawings in hand? Six months I estimate. American built Crusaders will be better than British built Crusaders because US QC is frankly far superior. And as I wrote, the skip to Sherman will be quicker as the operational experience is gained. And... expect to see US divisions headed to Egypt by January of 1942. They will need tanks.
d. Aero engines. How much range did the Allison engined B-17 (XB-39) gain over its Curtiss Wright junk engined equivalent?
d sub a. 2,000 miles with 6,000 pounds of bombs= tactical radius of 650 miles.
d sub b. 3,300 miles with 6,000 pounds of bombs= tactical radius of 1,100 miles.
WHAT is wrong with that picture?
Put in a Bristol Hercules and see what happens. I split the baby at about 850 miles. That begins to look like Lancaster Performance and it means Uncle can have a Pacific bomber 2 years early.
Napier Saber weighs less than a Wright Duplex Cyclone and it does not have a history of catching fire and EXPLODING in flight. Guess what happened to the Douglas BTD? The airframe was fine, but a certain crap engine was problematic. The Napier Saber is ready right now not after a year of teething troubles.
Guess what other beast can use the Saber? The Avenger as in right now say in time for pilot familiarization and use before Midway?.
e. Sangamons. Stretched ones. Six months head start helps. Even slow CVL-AOs means things brighten up in the 2 Ocean War. Cause a Sangamon not only operates planes, she can refuel a fleet.
f. Since the USS Wasp will be making Malta runs earlier, she can cross train with HMS Furious and that might mean LANTFLT gets 4 channel and passes it on to PACFLT in time for Coral Sea. It also means that PACFLT could carry it into WATCHTOWER.
Late 1941. The First Lee did not get to the North Africa Front until after Crusader. The American tank present was the M3 Stuart (about 165 of them in that battle.). British trouble with the Crusader and her 57 mm gun was doctrine, not the tank. The thing could have fired HE. The British just decided that slugs were the way to go since the tank was supposed to kill tanks. They relied on Arty to nix AT guns and infantry when their tanks charged. I am sure that when Patton showed up, that would have changed.
As far as the Avenger, the production line quite literally didn't even exist. Whether there were engines or not (and the R-2600 was in series production, had been since 1935), there was no wings, fuselages, or assembly lines to assemble them in anything more than prototype, more or less hand made, form. In this T/L the worth of aircraft carriers has not yet really been established since the Japanese haven't blasted Pearl, the usefulness of escort carriers was barely being understood, and no one, is going to stsrt turning the relatively few fleet oilers into escort carriers. In three or four years? Sure, by then there couldn't be enough carrier decks, in the Pacific. Where, in June of 941 things are living up to the Ocean's name.
Patton, Ike, Clark, you name it, aren't going to be appearing anytime soon. The U.S. doesn't have an expeditionary force yet. It has enough troops to reinforce British troops defending the UK from some sort of Late Unmentionable Sea Mammal, same as IOTL, but that is about the sum total. U.S. is actually somewhat less ready for war than in December of 1941 personnel wise, again, need to get things rolling by Summer of 1940 to have an impact by the end of 1941.
Since the U.S. enters World War II earlier by six months, this means that Doris Miller would not be known as the hero of Pearl Harbor in OTL. He could still do some other heroic deed though.
McPherson
Banned
Not six months advance on the Avengers, same exact time line.
The Hercules is ready. And flying
The Saber is ready. And flying.
Avengers are flying by March 1942. The question is can the Avenger be adapted between prototype September 1941 and March 1942? I loath Curtiss Wright for their production incompetence, poor manufacture of product and wastage of resources and that time which one properly points out is precious in war. Is a Battle of Kansas possible for naval aviation, here to fix the naval engine crisis? That is the actual question. With a buffoon like John H. Towers as Bu-Air is it possible? Now there one might have a point.
HMS Audacity is working up in August of 1941. The buzzcut on the ESSO Trenton begins February 1942 and she is flat-topped as USS Sangamon by August of the same year. The USS Texas went down in June of 1941 ITTL. Now note several RTL things are happening incredibly fast and we can use them as examples. Taken RTL in sequence.
1. Pearl Harbor happens on schedule, but even if it had not...
2. Oil tankers were buzzcut and flat-topped BEFORE the British lose the Easter week Carrier Battle off Sri Lanka and before Coral Sea and Midway. The rational for USS Sangamon's building was the Battle of the Atlantic, not Pearl Harbor. The USN was looking at CVEs from 1940 onward and needed money. Once they got the money, the buzzcuts started in earnest with whatever oil tankers or cargo ships they could grab.
3. Four "fleet" oil tankers were buzz-cut and flat-topped RTL under these conditions in spite of a naval tanker shortage and emergency, and I mean one so dire that the loss of the USS Neosho at Coral Sea was almost as bad as losing the USS Lexington.
4. USS Long Island was first. She started as SS Mormacmail in January 1941. She was buzzcut in March 1941 and was war-proofing the CVE concept by June. In July 1941 out of Norfolk she began to develop HK tactics. By December 1941 she was running war convoy coverage.
RTL Marshall was asking Patton if he could get a division to Egypt in June 1942. Patton started getting the 2nd Armored ready to go. The reason was that the British had just lost Tobruk and King had warned Marshal that the Suez Canal had to be held. Fortunately Auchinleck held the frontier and the crisis passed, but it could have developed into a real bolo. What the troops could have done? I do not know, but the planning was to get them there until First Alamein made it unnecessary.
Six months at war in this ITTL? In the RTL US threw raw green divisions at the Japanese (8 of them) until the SWPOA stabilized in March 1943. So, in a crisis, based on RTL examples, I expect those troops would have shipped, ready or not. The air farce sure did, because two USAAF heavy bombardment groups fought during El Alamein doing deep battlefield interdiction and port raids, especially at around and on Tobruk.
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The TBF factory had not been completed. No manufacturing facility exists to build the aircraft. Full Stop. Other Grumman facilities were building Wildcats. Change engines of the TBF, especially to one that is different in both dimensions and weight and it will be 1943 before the first aircraft flies.
The Navy was intact after Pearl Harbor, it just wasn’t prepared to go on the offensive against a bunch of Japanese carriers.
Yes and the evidence strongly suggests Roosevelt and Stimson knew about this and choose to look the other way. In my mind MacArthur, Sutherland and the rest should have been relieved and court martialed. Eisenhower wrote he was offered a "Bonus" when he left the Philippines but turned it down..
I still am not convinced. Maybe I have Rabaul too much in mind but in 1941 Guam was no fortress. It had only a couple of hundred troops mostly support types and a Pan Am base. My thought is that Japan could have just ignored it. If the US tried to reinforce then maybe do something but as it sat it would end up like a lot of Japanese held islands with the occupants existing as best they could with substance farming.
McPherson
Banned
About the Avenger...
TWO WEEKS. Two lousy stinking weeks.
But let's talk Avenger nose jobs. Ever hear of the Parker Kalon Avenger?
TWO WEEKS. Two lousy stinking weeks.
But let's talk Avenger nose jobs. Ever hear of the Parker Kalon Avenger?
Six months to redesign it: the wing for rockets and bombs and the nose for a more powerful different aspirated and plumbed Wright R-2600 piece of crap engine. And to produce it from a boilerplate prototype sample using automotive GM style methods. Compared to fitting a Saber to a flying prototype, that is actually child's play.
RE: Guam
The Japanese can't simply ignore it. It is a U.S. Territory. With the end of the WNT/LNT the U.S. is free to proceed with already planned major improvements to the Islands defenses and, if the mood strikes, increase capacity for handling of aircraft, warships, and troop accommodations. Put B-17s or B-24 on Guam and the can not only attack Saipan but also the Palaus. Lethal threat to two IJN bases critical to defending the Southern Resource Area. The second the IJN, an open German Ally, tries to interfere with American shipping going to an American territory (while the U.S. is in a DECLARED WAR with Japan's ally) they are in a war with the U.S. Problem now is that their forces are not properly pre-positioned, American bases are on a wartime footing, and U.S. submarines, including "obsolete" S-boats that are armed with reliable torpedoes, are deployed in a wartime manner, not largely tied up at Pearl, Cavite, and the West Coast.
If they try to stop any U.S. move before early December 1941 they lose the services of Zuikaku (if they try before mid-September they also lose the services of Shokaku) meaning they lack what had been determined to be the minimal striking power to deal with Pearl (all six fleet deck were needed for the Raid, replacing them is impossible) the PI, AND the DEI in a successful manner. All six fleet deck were considered minimum strength for the Raid, replacing Zuikaku with Ryujo cost the Nagumo 27 D3A, 9 B5N, and five A6M (while presumably attacking an alert, on war footing, rather stoutly AAA defended U.S. base) and strips the Southern Philippines Attack Force (Davao and Legaspi landings) of ALL air cover. It also reduces the air support available to Yamashita provided by Ryujo. Remove Shokaku from the Kido Butai and Nagumo has now lost a total of 54 D3A 36 B5N, and 20 A6M (or well over half of the second wave) to attack a not so sleepy American outpost.
The Japanese were operating on a shoestring IOTL, going sooner cuts it down not to, but into the bone.
If nothing else I'l say one thing about King there's no way he's going to let his fleet at nothing less than than full war alert what with a war on and oh boy will he lean on the army in Hawaii to do the same