Could an US supercarrier defeat the whole Japanese WWII navy?

YouTube ^ | Binkov Battlegrounds

[OneVike]

Today I'm being lazy. So as I continue to pick at the Turkey from time to time, I am also surfing the web. Well I stumbled upon something in my search for something else. What did I find? A bunch of videos that have me quite captivated. A series of videos on the subject of, "What If".

In this video it's a question of,

"What if, a modern SuperCarrier was transported back in time to take on the whole Japanese Navy in 1942."

First let me warn you. DO NOT expect any award winning footage in the video. No. Instead you will be presented with simple elementary style graphics. As simple as the illustrations are though, they suffice for the job needed to get the point across.

I think some here will appreciate this, and find it as interesting as I do. I mean if you like military subjects and have an appreciation for historical military facts, then I know you will enjoy this video.

As I stated, there is a whole series of videos that pair modern day military technology against the technology and warriors that used said technology of their day in battle. The one I am sharing here postures the question,

Could A US Supercarrier Defeat The whole Japanese WWII Navy?

So, who would win?

[OneVike]

Other videos they have that I also like, are the ones where a specialty group from one era was pitted against a famous group from the past.

In the link below you get an idea of what would happen if the following scenario took place.

So let's say a modern day US Marine Platoon was transported back in time. Mind you, all the Marines have to fight with is what each Marine would carry on his own. Their destination will be Ancient Rome sometime between 50 BC and 200 or 300 AD. His opponent will be a Roman Military Legion which has all the compliments they would of that day.

Could a USMC platoon defeat a whole Roman legion?

Other videos pit modern day foes against each other in What If situations.

[setter]

Splash the Zeros. Still one of my favorite movies.

[SamAdams76]

There was actually a full length movie that dealt with the "what if" of a modern U.S. carrier showing up in the Pacific just prior to the Pearl Harbor attack. It was called "The Final Countdown" and it was from around 1980.

Interesting movie but a rather ridiculous premise (time warp happens to take the ship to almost exactly the time and place of Pearl Harbor attack) and a rather unsatisfying ending, at least in my opinion.

[Leaning Right]

I read this at another site:

Question: Could Napoleon have won the battle of Waterloo if he had one Sherman tank with him?

Answer: No. The Duke of Wellington’s A-10 Warthog would have taken that tank out.

[OneVike]

Yes I remember it well. It was a good put of this time movie these scenarios deal with I guess.

[CodeToad]

Easily.

[headstamp 2]

“What if Napoleon had a B-52 during the Battle of Waterloo.”

Great skit when SNL was funny.

[RandallFlagg]

It could win, unless Obama was president.
He’d likely order our surrender.

[Hardastarboard]

Guns of the South is a pretty good alternate history / science fiction book, but it is of course an entirely impossible premise.

[OneVike]

Well, Hitlers quest answered that question.

The NAZI’s had one of the most modern, at the time, mechanized militaries the world had ever seen. Tanks, planes, and even short range continental missiles. Which begs the question, why didn’t the NAZIS use their rocket to attack Stalingrad? Hell, at the time, the US was just catching up when we fought them.

Anyway, Hitler experience the same tragic outcome as Napoleon’s army did.

[CodeToad]

The video says aircraft attacks. Most likely Standard Missiles would be used at stand off ranges with no aircraft dropping anything.

[Still Thinking]

Do the Japanese know they’re up against just one ship?

Does the American still get RORSAT intel?

Regardless, given the range/speed/capability difference between the aircraft, my money’s on the American.

[ThunderSleeps]

I would guess the limiting factor would be consumables. The carrier could steam all over the Pacific - assuming it didn't run afoul of a Japanese sub. A sub might not be able to sink it with torpedoes, but damage below the water line could impede flight ops.

The real question is, would they have enough jet fuel to mount multiple strikes - because the Japanese navy was large and generally well dispersed. Also, would they have enough conventional weapons (bombs) to sink that many ships? Or would they have to resort to using nuclear weapons against formations?

[21twelve]

I recall my HS history teacher talking about all of Hitler’s war machines. Some were great (the jet fighter, tanks and rockets), some weren’t.

But he made the point that they didn’t make enough of them (tanks), the jet fighter was too late, and primarily their lack of resources, especially fuel.

He talked about how they would taxi the jets to the runway using horses in order to conserve fuel!

[rfreedom4u]

I would bet on the Americans but wonder how bad the pilot fatigue would be with so many targets.

[Hot Tabasco]

Mind you, all the Marines have to fight with is what each Marine would carry on his own.

Modern day weaponry against the Romans and their spears and swords? You gotta be kidding........

[SauronOfMordor]

Back in the 70’s, in the middle of the Cold War, we had nukes on the carriers. One strike mission against Japan, with a dozen bombs, would have ended things.

[Still Thinking]

Oh, yeah, that reminds me of the question I forgot to include. The whole group or just the carrier? Otherwise a sub might get lucky.

[OneVike]

The video states the Japanese are unaware, but also gives them an edge by saying if they spot and try to engage.

There are a few scenarios within the scenario and that is how war is anyway..

Consider the way the war of Midway was significantly altered by the battle of Coral Sea. The Americans should have been wiped out, but the things surrounding the Coral Sea battle had significant implications on the Midway Battle.

So these videos really take things into consideration as to what could change things considering other factors.

[Leaning Right]

> why didn’t the NAZIS use their rocket to attack Stalingrad? <

Yes, the Germans had some pretty advanced weapons. But their rockets had no real guidance system. It was just point, then fire. So the Germans were just lucky to hit a city, period. They had no ability to target anything important within that city.

I also read somewhere that the Germans would have been much better off putting all their rocket resources into heavy bomber production instead. But lucky for us Hitler was spectacularly bad when it came to making strategic decisions.