Comments by "Patrick Donnolley" (@ph89787) on "The Drydock - Episode 224" video.

The Wasp question came about from learning international law and treaties at Uni. Given Wasp’s keel laid down a week after the 2nd London Treaty was signed. I found it a missed opportunity by the USN to start world war 2 with 6 effective fleet carriers. Rather than 4 effective fleet carriers and 2 glass cannons.
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@stevevalley7835 That’s true. Although there’s every chance that Congress would only authorise an original Yorktown. Still Doctor Alexander Clarke had said in one of his videos that one of the things the USN could have done to be in a better position before Pearl Harbour. Aside from a working Torpedo, more oilers and possibly a multi carrier doctrine. Was that there was time before Pearl Harbour to have another 2-4 Yorktowns in service. While waiting for Essex.
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@dogsnads5634 I tend not to count Hornet as she was laid down and commissioned after everything went to hell.
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@dogsnads5634 yep
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@stevevalley7835 The only issue I see is either Congress being cheap. Or the US Navy still wanting to spam as many hulls at the lowest weight possible
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@88porpoise Did a double check and yeah she was laid down a week after the 2nd treaty was signed. On the flip side. There’s also every chance that Congress could withhold money from the navy until they agree to build Wasp to a full Yorktown. Remember it’s not unusual for ships to be cancelled either on the slip way or after they had been launched. Also Drach had stated in last week’s drydock regarding whether it was better for Essex to have been built as a Yorktown earlier rather than wait until 41. The US did have the industrial capacity and resources to build another Yorktown Even by 1938 if Wasp was constructed as a full Yorktown. It doesn’t change the diplomatic situation that much. Hitler is still running Germany, the Italians are in Africa and Japan is stuck in a war with China. Also, the IJN had got started on the treaty-breaking Shoukaku-Class Carriers. So there’s no fundamental change to why the Naval Expansion Act was passed. If anything it might encourage Congress (or at least FDR) to include an upgraded Wasp. Speaking of which her keel being laid down in 37 or 38 wouldn’t delay her commissioning that much. Say we use the timeline for Yorktown and Enterprise’s construction. That’s 2 years between Keel laying and launch plus another 15-18 months for fit out. Resulting in her being in commission later in 1940 or early 41. So by the time, Pearl Harbour happens. The US Navy could confront the Kido Butai with 6 effective carriers of their own. As opposed to 5, as Ranger doesn’t really work.
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@88porpoise By 1934, the IJN made it very clear that they stopped caring about the naval treaties. Plus their war in China, specifically the 1932 Shanghai incident involving Hosho and Kaga had shown an inkling as to what carriers could do against land bases.
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