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I have just started reading a book about Royal naval planning for a conflict with Japan in the interwar period, and its fascinating stuff.

Im only a quarter of the way through but the basics of the plan are as follows. Use in place forces to protect trade, until the main fleet arrives (40-90 days being the assumption), then using cruisers attack Japanese trade to draw out the main Japanese fleet for a descive battle. (the assumption being once a numerically superior british fleet arrives the Japanese would be wary of a large engagement). Once the Japanese fleet is destroyed, its open season on Japanese trade and the Japan would sue for peace. As I said this is only the basics.

Anyway say a conflict occurs in the 1928-1934 timeframe, could this plan work? If not how would the conflict have played out? Also what POD would be needed for a conflict.
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