US carriers destroyed at Pearl Harbour what changes?

CalBear

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But it would take a long time to buid them. There would be a very different Battle of the Coral Sea, and Midway would likely be a loss. The Japanese would not take nearly the same kind of losses they did, and would continue their rampage in Pacific.


It wouldn't take ANY time to build the ships I mention. They are all already in commission (with Hornet, the newest, still shaking down).

This really only changes things by one deck, since, as has been noted, this would almost certainly butterfly away the Saratoga's torpedoing.

Since the U.S. would be short a deck ITTL the Doolittle attack doesn't happen so the Midway Plan is never hatched. The U.S. has three decks at Coral Sea. This could easily result in the Japanese losing at least one, maybe both of their Shokaku class ships. As was the Shokaku was crippled and Zuikaku lost its airgroup.
 
Yomomoto would be more optimistic. I heard historian who researched in the Japanese archives say that when he heard that weren't any carriers at Pearl Harbor, he sent a message back to Tokoyo saying the war is lost.
 
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