The closing counterfactual has King replace James Richardson in February 1941 instead of Husband Kimmel. King's immediate decision to put the Atlantic force on a war footing suggests he might have pushed the Pacific Fleet harder toward readiness. The scenario does not assume that this would have prevented the attack or its losses. It also asks whether political confidence in the commander would have changed and whether Chester Nimitz would have followed a different path.
Notable Point · 1:21:12-1:23:49
What if King had commanded the Pacific Fleet before Pearl Harbor?
The closing question asks whether King's readiness policies would have changed the Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, and Nimitz's later career.