Why does the Operation C answer sound different from the earlier discussion?
Short answerContinued research, especially into Japanese ships, sources, and Somerville's destroyer officers, made the answer more nuanced.
NotesA viewer observes that the Operation C answer sounds different from an earlier discussion. The change is described as greater nuance rather than a simple reversal, since historical interpretation should continue to develop with research. Better access to Japanese-side work and closer study of the destroyers and officers available to Somerville changed the reasoning. The counterfactual remains uncertain, and that evidence explains why the interpretation now places greater weight on those factors.