The Pacific Fleet’s plane carriers had been conspicuously absent in the course of the Japanese assault on December 7, 1941. This absence considerably impacted the course of the battle within the Pacific. Had the carriers been current, they’d have doubtless been the first targets, struggling substantial harm or destruction. Their loss would have crippled the US Navy’s means to venture energy within the early levels of the battle.
The carriers’ absence proved fortuitous for the USA. It allowed the US Navy to retain a vital offensive functionality, forming the core of its counteroffensive in opposition to Japan. This in the end contributed to the turning of the tide within the Pacific theater. The shock assault, whereas devastating, did not ship a knockout blow to the American fleet, due largely to this stroke of luck. The carriers’ survival allowed them to play a pivotal position in key battles just like the Coral Sea and Halfway.
