The Japanese carrier force used a northern approach while normal American attention leaned westward, so an American sortie west, south, or east could move away from it. Once Kido Butai had sailed under radio silence, Tokyo could not easily pass new intelligence without risking detection. A loud message might reach the force, but no acknowledgment would leave headquarters unsure whether the new orders had been received. The reason for an American sortie therefore determines both its direction and whether the two fleets might cross. Communications discipline and timing matter as much here as fleet speed or striking power.
Notable Point · 46:47-53:36
Kido Butai's northern approach and communications problem
A US sortie west, south, or east could miss Kido Butai, while Japan's radio silence made late retasking difficult once the carrier force left on 26 November.