What happens if a Kongo-class battleship accidentally rams Akagi before the Pearl Harbor raid?
Short answerThe task force likely aborts and turns back, leaving any later declaration of war without the political shock of the surprise attack.
NotesThe question places a Kongo-class battleship into Akagi near the forward boiler room before the Pearl Harbor attack. Damage to a carrier's flight deck or machinery would compromise a mission that already operated at the edge of its logistical reach. The task force would therefore turn back rather than continue with a weakened air group and damaged flagship. Japan might still declare war, but without the surprise attack the declaration could be received by the American public in a very different way. The operational accident thus changes both the opening blow and its political meaning.