Nagumo had to choose between attacking immediately or waiting for confirmation of the enemy fleet.
The sighting of the enemy fleet was uncertain and could have been a deception or a smaller force.
Nagumo considered the risks of attacking without knowing the enemy's composition and decided to be cautious.
Why did Nagumo hesitate to attack immediately?
—Nagumo wasn't certain of the enemy fleet's composition and didn't want to waste his planes on a smaller force or be caught off-guard by a larger force.
What were the risks of attacking immediately?
—Attacking without knowing the enemy's composition could have led to the loss of valuable planes and potentially missing a larger enemy force that could counterattack.
Why did Nagumo prioritize caution?
—Nagumo did not want to repeat the mistake of attacking a smaller force and wanted to ensure his strike would have maximum impact on the enemy.
21:55Nagumo received a report of a sighting of a possible enemy fleet.
23:14The fleet's location and headwind steaming indicated it could be a carrier.
23:35Nagumo and his staff considered the risks and decided it was most likely a surface force.
