Plausibility Check: Yamamoto Defects to the US

Yamamoto always seemed to be a man of contradictions at times, always reading about how he was opposed to alot of what his country was doing yet still went with it (some of this could be simple romanticism). He seemed to be the only realist of the Imperial Army at times, especially in regards to the US. So I guess what I'm wondering is... what if his conscience got the better of him?? What if he got fed up with the direction the military was taking, or the decisions they were making? Would it be enough (or even plausible) to drive him to defect as a result?

Or is there some other event I'm missing that could've driven him (or came dangerously close) to defect??

And if so, either way, (if this isn't complete ASB) what would happen if Yamamoto defected to the US? How would this effect Japanese operations in regards to it's planned conflict with America? Would their first target still be Pearl Harbor or would they attempt something else?

Just trying to get back into AH discussion. ;)
 

Cook

Banned
Yamamoto’s life was governed by duty and honour; if he disagreed with something he wasn’t reluctant to tell people if he thought that speaking out was in the best interests of the Empire. Hence is strenuous disagreement with the decision to go to war and, once the decision for war had been made and he could not alter it, his threat to resign if the attack on Pearl Harbour was approved; he was duty bound to do everything in his power to serve the Empire.

If the Empire was going down a path he did not agree with he would seek to change the path, not jump overboard. There is no honour in deserting his duty.
 
I think the only plausible way to get Yamamoto defecting might be to have an ultranationalist coup occur while he was in London in 1934 for the naval conference that year - that way, he's out of the country while events are taking place, and might not be able to return to Japan.
 
The only way Yamamoto might even remotely try such a 'defection' would be an Army attempt to assassinate him in 1940 or early 1941 for his views against their 'Warlord' attitudes to conquer Mainland China and the rest of the Pacific to kept their Imperial Empire running without any European interference, regardless of what realities will make them pay in interest in OTL...

He might 'TURN' against the Army ultra-nationalists for such an attempt and the Imperial Navy might even remotely challenge the Imperial Army for dominance of the political sphere of influence in Japan... heh, highly un-plausible, at the least...
 

Bearcat

Banned
Yamamoto is not going to defect. Period. No Japanese Admiral of the period would even consider dishonoring himself and his family, regardless of the circumstances. Suicide is always a possibility if something becomes unendurable; defection is unthinkable.
 
No freakin' way Yamamoto is going to defect. He was loyal to his country and also quite intelligent and knowledgeable. Those three things together led him to oppose war with the US because he knew Japan would lose, and badly, and then to fight as best and as hard as he could in the hopes that he was wrong.

Suicide is possible, being assassinated by the Army may have been more likely than not, death in combat or from natural causes earlier than OTL is possible, being transferred to a backwater command is possible, but not defection.
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
Monthly Donor
Utterly implausable. ASB Level.

Yamamoto was not in favor engaging the U.S. He was also a throughy professional Naval Officer who had dedicated his entire life to the Japanese Fleet and his very existence to the Emperor.

Change the name from Yamamoto to King, Nimitz or Cunningham and re-ask the question and the impossibility becomes obvious (and none of those Western officers believed their chief of state was an actual Diety).
 
;) *nods* good to know everyone. Thanks for the help. This is the purpose of my "plausibility checks", stuff I'm iffy about (and/or has a smell of potential ASB) and thus pass it by my fellow AH nerds to see how it stacks up... see if it is indeed ASB or plausible.
 
;) *nods* good to know everyone. Thanks for the help. This is the purpose of my "plausibility checks", stuff I'm iffy about (and/or has a smell of potential ASB) and thus pass it by my fellow AH nerds to see how it stacks up... see if it is indeed ASB or plausible.

Indeed, that is what Plaus Checks are for.
 
Top