Lee could not confidently strip battleships and destroyers from several groups without exposing himself if the intelligence proved wrong. A viable force required ships from Task Groups 38.3 and 38.4 as well as destroyers borrowed from Kinkaid, so Lee would be acting across organizational boundaries rather than merely sailing his own command. If Center Force failed to appear while Japanese aircraft or surface forces struck Halsey's carriers, Lee's career and the fleet's safety would both be at risk. An explicit order from Halsey was therefore the only secure way to activate the plan. Halsey's tight personal control also left Marc Mitscher and subordinate commanders little room to redirect Task Force 38 on their own judgment. The counterfactual is physically possible but institutionally unlikely.
Chapter · 1:11:42-1:14:19
Why the counterfactual remains unlikely
Lee could assemble a legitimate battle line, but only by interpreting an ambiguous message, detaching ships from several groups, and borrowing destroyers without explicit cover.