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Until May 1940 the US Pacific Fleet had always been based in California. It was decided to rebase the fleet to Hawaii to discourage Japanese expansionism, an action opposed by Admiral Richardson because he felt it would leave the fleet too vulnerable to a surprise attack. Admiral Richardson was removed of command and demoted to rear admiral, with Admiral Kimmel selected to replace him. What if Richardson had remained head of the US Pacific Fleet after its relocation to Hawaii? He was considered the USN's leading expert on the Japanese military and it seems he would have been more proactive than Kimmel. Would the Pacific Fleet under Richardson be better prepared for a surprise attack and perhaps even be proactive enough for a few hours warning? Alternatively, what if Richardson manages to convince Congress and President Roosevelt to keep the fleet in San Diego? Does that butterfly away Japan's war against the United States since it is a less aggressive posture and the USN is outside of surprise attack range?
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