Quote:
Originally Posted by JokerD
Is that so? I always thought that the decision to take Midway was because they wanted to expand the security parameter due to that raid. So that they can detect similar operations.
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Yes. I have heard of this popular misconception before, but it is far from the truth. The failure of the Japanese to catch any American CVs at Pearl Harbor was always on the mind of Yamamoto. With them based out of Pearl Harbor he kept an eye on the Central Pacific the entire time. Yamamoto wanted to choose a location close to Hawaii that would force the Americans to sortie their carriers to contest the Japanese. He had his subordinates examine the notion of an invasion of Hawaii in December / January 1941-42 and by March he had settled on Midway. The idea was presented to the naval GHQ at a staff meeting from 2nd-5th April 1942, where it was heavily opposed. After some lengthy tug-of-war the plan for AL/MI was presented to the emperor by Admiral Nagano on 16th April 1942. That's two days before the Doolittle Raid. What the Doolittle Raid did was remove army opposition against MI and by 20th April the army approved the Midway plan and supplied combat troops for the operation.