Japanese Attack on American West Coast?

(Sorry, if this was posted before)

Do you think a Japanese Attack on the West Coast instead of Pearl Harbor in 1941 was possible, or is it ASB?
 
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Markus

Banned
Unless we talk about shelling by submarines its ASB.
IIRC the IJN had not enough tankers to get past PH. Sailing past PH would have been a bit risky to put it mildly.

edit: Is there anything worth the risk east of PH? I don´t think so.
 
Wasn't there a thread about this topic some months ago which devolved into conspiracy nuttery at some point?
 
The IJN puts a good portion of its total strength at risk, accomplishes little of military value, then short on fuel has to travel thousands of miles right past the fully alerted and enraged US Pacific Fleet?
 
(Sorry, if this was posted before)

Do you think a Japanese Attack on the West Coast instead of Pearl Harbor in 1941 was possible, or is it ASB?
How about this for a POD ...

The USN Keeps The Pacific Fleet Based out of San Diego ...

This VERY Much Restricts Both Sides' Operational Choices; How DO The Japanese Respond Now?
 

Markus

Banned
How about this for a POD ...

The USN Keeps The Pacific Fleet Based out of San Diego ...

This VERY Much Restricts Both Sides' Operational Choices; How DO The Japanese Respond Now?


The IJN is IMO unlikely to send their CV on a mission to destroy an advance naval base with no ships but destroyers and a few cruisers, so PH is save. I guess they stick to the long time plan to have the USN sail into their defensive perimeter. Maybe send some subs to California and hope for a lucky hit.
 

The Sandman

Banned
Send a couple of Type B1 submarines to the West Coast, preferably to LA or San Francisco, then have them hit civilian targets. The real goal isn't to cause damage; given that each submarine carries a single seaplane, that would be futile. The goal is to force the US to assign additional resources to protecting the West Coast that might otherwise have been sent to the actual battlefields in the Pacific. Try to send at least one or two subs out for that purpose every month, just to keep a nice simmering paranoia and needless fear of invasion going in California, Oregon and Washington.
 
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