Domestic struggles for influence shaped how American naval intelligence reached fleet commanders. One interpretation is that Roosevelt was preparing Turner for the post of Chief of Naval Operations. After Pearl Harbor, Pacific service gave Turner an opportunity to recover standing through wartime performance. Richardson's removal also deprived the Pacific Fleet of an officer especially skilled at assessing Japanese intentions. In this account, he had used raw intelligence to challenge analysis led by Turner in Washington, embarrassing the administration and helping make his position untenable.
Notable Point · 2:26:41-2:28:11
Richardson, Turner, and the politics of naval intelligence
Removing Admiral Richardson deprived the Pacific Fleet of an experienced Japan analyst who challenged Washington's preferred conclusions.