What stops Nagumo from attacking Task Force 3 before it warns Pearl Harbor?
Short answerRadio carries the sighting to the cruisers and onward almost immediately, while locating, launching, and flying a Japanese strike would take far longer.
NotesNagumo could not destroy Task Force 3 before it transmitted the warning. The American scout plane could radio its sighting immediately, and the cruisers could relay that message before Japan knew their precise location. Japanese carriers would still need to arm and launch a strike, search the reported area, and find ships already moving away. Even following the scout home would take too long to beat radio transmission, so attacking the cruisers cannot restore surprise.