The alternatives did not require foreknowledge of the exact attack. Battleship squadrons could be split between Hawaii and San Diego so that one successful raid could not catch the whole battle line. Radar and fighters could be coordinated, while B-17s and Catalinas could expand long-range maritime patrols. These measures might also change Japanese planning by increasing expected losses or forcing a different approach. Closing the Japanese consulate would have reduced the real-time reporting that helped Japan track the fleet's condition, although Washington would have had to accept that as another openly confrontational step.
Chapter · 1:31:07-1:33:19
Practical defenses available before December 1941
Dispersal, coordinated air defense, long-range patrols, and tighter control of Japanese intelligence access could all have made Pearl Harbor a harder target.