Was Yamamoto sent to sea for protection?

Was Isoroku Yamamoto given fleet command to protect him from assassination?

Possibly, although protection from Army enemies angered by Yamamoto's peace stance is more plausible than the standard account.

The protection story is uncertain. Sea command may have sheltered Yamamoto from elements of the Japanese Army rather than from the Navy itself. Yamamoto had angered militarists by arguing for peace and warning about the risks of war. The brief exchange shows how appointments can serve both operational and personal-security purposes in a violent civil-military environment.