In this counterfactual, the missed Operation C night battle becomes more than a tactical opportunity. If the Eastern Fleet had disabled Kido Butai before Coral Sea and Midway, Britain rather than the United States might temporarily have led the Allied naval response in the Pacific. That result could have changed British prestige, bargaining power, and the path into the postwar imperial settlement. Somerville's accumulated command fatigue and decision to preserve his carriers form the hinge. The outcome remained contingent on finding the Japanese force, delivering an effective night strike, and surviving the response.
Notable Point · 1:38:42-1:41:15
Operation C as a counterfactual imperial turning point
A successful Eastern Fleet night strike might have changed who led the early Allied naval war and how British power entered the postwar settlement.