Uranium from USS Indianapolis captured by Japanese 28 July 1945

Is it that implausible that the captain of the submarine might board a clearly abandoned, and not immediately sinking enemy warship? There's a possibility (Low) of finding something like codebooks, the normal tendency for people to try to get souvenirs, and then of course, the chance of raiding the galley for a sandwich.

But any sensible captain would know that a ship that is heavily listing might sink at any moment. Additionally, a sensible captain would also know that there may be potential secondary explosions from the munition on board, which would end the ship and anyone on board.

And I highly doubt a Japanese sub captain would think "hey let me get on board that listing ship to grab a codebook even though there might be US ships and planes nearby."

I don't know where you get the idea that people try to get "souvenirs." I'm sure the captain would like his sub intact better than a potential of getting something of value. Keep in mind, the Japanese captain would not know about the uranium on board. And a codebook, despite its value, was worth little to the Japanese at the time. It was not like the Japanese could send out a fleet or air wing to intercept enemy ships or planes. They were purely on the defensive by 1945.

If a ship has been struck multiple times and listing, why would there be any sandwiches left?
 

SsgtC

Banned
I don't see a way to use USS Indianopolis at this point (see where there is no sub alongside the actual Hawaii to Guam route that Catemate mentioned above?), so we need to figure out an alternate path for Nishima to get a look at Little Boy. Any suggestions?
Anything I come up with needs an ASB to make happen
 
Is it that implausible that the captain of the submarine might board a clearly abandoned, and not immediately sinking enemy warship? There's a possibility (Low) of finding something like codebooks, the normal tendency for people to try to get souvenirs, and then of course, the chance of raiding the galley for a sandwich.
Very IMO. No certainty that the cruiser was completely abandoned, and any significant resistance would seriously endanger the sub. Significant risk of scuttling charge, internal explosion or other factor that would also endanger the sub. Lingering around the cruiser would be dangerous when Allied forces investigated the attack or searched for survivors.
No reasonable expectation of gain for the risk.
 
But any sensible captain would know that a ship that is heavily listing might sink at any moment. Additionally, a sensible captain would also know that there may be potential secondary explosions from the munition on board, which would end the ship and anyone on board.
This. Even the effect of being near if the cruiser sank suddenlywould be dangerous.

And I highly doubt a Japanese sub captain would think "hey let me get on board that listing ship to grab a codebook even though there might be US ships and planes nearby."
Exactly, standard procedure would be to destroy them (treated paper, lead lining et cetera)
 
Anything I come up with needs an ASB to make happen
Yes. I've looked into this a bit (for some RPG scenario design[1]). Stealing the bomb components on land would be easier, albeit very difficult. Of course that'd require detailed information...





[1] 'Trinity Fails' over at the DWAITAS forum is an early version of this, where I speculate about the three possibilities; fizzle, premature or enhanced. There's an enhanced version of this, still rather raw, in my Dropbox; link
 
Yes. I've looked into this a bit (for some RPG scenario design[1]). Stealing the bomb components on land would be easier, albeit very difficult. Of course that'd require detailed information...





[1] 'Trinity Fails' over at the DWAITAS forum is an early version of this, where I speculate about the three possibilities; fizzle, premature or enhanced. There's an enhanced version of this, still rather raw, in my Dropbox; link

The only plausible places are NEW MEXICO (smuggle it out through the southern Mexican-American border), the west coast, and or Hawaii. Best chance? Mexico. Good luck with that PoD.
 
The only plausible places are NEW MEXICO (smuggle it out through the southern Mexican-American border), the west coast, and or Hawaii. Best chance? Mexico. Good luck with that PoD.
Barring ASB-like intervention, with detailed information at least, (there is a time travel RPG scenario where the Gadget is stolen via time portal) I don't see a theft working.
 

trurle

Banned
Very IMO. No certainty that the cruiser was completely abandoned, and any significant resistance would seriously endanger the sub. Significant risk of scuttling charge, internal explosion or other factor that would also endanger the sub. Lingering around the cruiser would be dangerous when Allied forces investigated the attack or searched for survivors.
No reasonable expectation of gain for the risk.
For US sub, the gain/risk equation may be true. For Japanese sub - exactly opposite. They were already risking any moment, moored in home port or boarding the Indianapolis. Then the risk magnituge is mis-perceived. Most applicable for the Japanese sub captains are Gambler`s fallacy and Illusion of Validity (he was likely feeling lucky that day, and therefore acted recklessly)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambler's_fallacy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusion_of_validity

The only plausible places are NEW MEXICO (smuggle it out through the southern Mexican-American border), the west coast, and or Hawaii. Best chance? Mexico. Good luck with that PoD.
Replacing short range, one-step haulage with long-range, 2-step. Well, it is a sort of replacement of too complex problem, but i do not see if the new problem is simpler to solve than the older one.
 
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