Nagumo's appointment to the Kidō Butai needs to be understood through his prewar career and the kind of conflict Japan expected. He graduated eighth of 191 cadets, placing him among the navy's capable officers. Senior-command pools were small: the Royal Navy's loss of roughly a dozen senior officers in 1936-39 helped force officers such as James Somerville back into service. Existing duties also limited how many alternative commanders could be reassigned. Continuing factional rivalries make postwar judgments by fellow admirals evidence to weigh carefully.
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Nagumo before the carrier war
Chūichi Nagumo's strong academic record and professional preparation supported his selection for the Kidō Butai, although that preparation suited a different kind of Pacific war.