A constrained commander, not a simple scapegoat

The conclusion is qualified: Kimmel made mistakes and remained a capable officer placed in an exceptionally difficult command situation. He lacked time, supplies, reliable support from above, and agreement among some subordinates about the immediacy of war. The destruction of battleships and dispersal of the crews Kimmel had trained make it hard to measure how far his preparation would have translated into later combat performance. He was also relieved too quickly to establish a wartime command record beyond his immediate recovery work and planned reinforcement of Wake Island. The final judgment is that he responded to the threat direction and information he had and was treated too simply in political memory.