How could Japan have bombarded the Fortress of the Pacific ?

Since the Combined Fleet didn’t historically do much in it’s distant support of the Kido Butai’s effort against Oahu, I’d like to propose a “what if” discussion about what they might have done, instead.

I know that there are a multitude of historical reasons for why such an alteration in history could not have happened but, I’d like, with your agreement, to …

1.) … leave aside the entire “Japanese strategic doctrine would never have allowed that” discussion/debate and just assume that somehow/someway, it was so ordered. Maybe Emperor Hirohito had a dream … about conducting the Decisive Battle of the Pacific War off of Hawaii ?

2.) Likewise, I’d like to sidestep the entire “the IJN didn’t have the logistics base to support a move by the Combined Fleet to Oahu” discussion/debate. I know and accept that already but would like to have a bombardment discussion and so have assumed that the fuel/supplies/ammo would be provided, somehow/somewhere, like manna from heaven.

Actually, my pet theory is that Japan might have used many of the high speed modern tankers idled by the American led oil embargo against her, to re-fuel the Combined Fleet as it headed east. Historically they did so convert, to underway re-fueling status, some of those tankers otherwise anchored in the Inland Sea. In effect, creating more last minute and poorly trained fleet oilers, in great secrecy. Since they did it historically, I don’t think it too much of a “mental stretch” to assume that 3.) they could have so converted more in the time that they had available. With the a similar degree of success and secrecy.

So, if you agree, the IJN’s Combined Fleet, less the two battlecruisers historically sent south in support of the Southern Operation, crosses the northern Pacific just behind the Kido Butai, having also left it’s usual radio operators back in Japan to transmit fake messages from there.

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Now, some map homework for you, the reader,

Pre-mission scouting on Oahu by Yoshikawa would have revealed that the map found at http://militarymaps.org.ua/maps/ospr…_008/map9.djvu is far too optomistic for Dec.’41. (You’ll need the Djvu viewer which is available for free download at djvu.com to see that map). The map, by C.Taylor, comes from the Osprey book entitled “Defenses of Pearl harbor and Oahu 1907-50″ by Williford & McGovern

First, you’ll have print out a copy and then erase all of the black firing arcs because those batteries were built after Dec.7′41. Next go the browns for a similar reason. Finally the purple #6 arc gets converted to a 360 degree circle to more properly show its real 16″ firing abilities on Dec.7′41. The existing purple arc shows it’s casemated firing arc after it was fortified circa late 1942.

Do the same for purple arc #5 for battery Closson. In 1941 it too could fire 360 degrees, not just a forward arc.

Not nearly so impressive a defensive map of US 8″ and larger coastal artillery firepower now, is it ?

Source: alternatehistory.com