Thread by @willchamberlain

I’ve been reading a lot about the Battle of Midway

There are lessons in there for us in the mistakes the Japanese made

Let’s fast-forward to roughly noon on the day of the battle

At this point the Japanese have lost 3 of their four carriers, a hugely damaging blow

They have one left, the Hiryu

The Hiryu launched a counter-strike against the Americans with its strike force (which ended up hitting the American carrier Yorktown)

At that point Hiryu needed to beat a strategic retreat - because the second American carrier strike force would overwhelm its combat air patrol

But the Japanese were pissed, and focused on honor/in denial about their strategic position

So they sent Hiryu TOWARDS American forces along with the Japanese surface fleet

To no ones surprise, the second American strike force located Hiryu and struck it with four bombs

Every Japanese carrier aircraft had to ditch, they had nowhere to land

If Hiryu had beat a retreat after launching its first counter-strike it would have survived

But no

In other news, republicans really need to NOT LOSE THE SENATE IN GEORGIA