User talk:USChurchill

Recognising the threat from aircraft carriers. The development of aircraft carriers is covered by Wiki. Development started in 1913 with HMS Hermes and in 1918 HMS Argus had a flush deck and 20 aircraft. Japan built a carrier in 1912 and in 1923. In 1922 the US had the USS Largley with 34 aircraft. At the start of WW2 the US had 6 cariers of which 3 were in the Pacific at the time of Pearl Harbour. Japan had 10 aircraft carriers at the same time and was considered to have the biggest and most modern fleet in the world. Surely a warning sign? 12 months before Pearl Harbor on the 11 November 1940 HMS Illustious launched a long range NIGHT attack against the Italians at Taranto sinking one battleship and severly damaging two more. Surely another warning? The Japanese apparently used 6 carries to attack Pearl Harbour. This concentration was new. And apparently not foreseen by Short or Kimmel. They certainly were not switched on or alarmed by all these developments and the political situation at the time. It seems they were, like MacArthur at the time - asleep at the wheel.