Quote:
With this sentence you point out yourself that this event means that it's no longer a FFO story but a FFO-POW one.


??? The moment you make a whatif story with a POD, a point of departure, the world changes. Each action has another reaction somewhere else. You cannot have one without the other. To put in a POD, like FFO is, but make it so that the enemy cannot develop from the changes you've allowed the French and Allies to do, defeats the purpose of the work. How is that realistic? Magically the French know how to put in a Merlin engine into the NA-73/P-51 and get it out into the field over a year ahead of schedule but to suggest that the Axis cannot do anything similar is riduculous. The PoW sank in water where it could salvaged, it is not a point of departure but just another part of the story. If it and other changes lead to changes in the Pacific strategy, then they do and we have to figure them out. Changes in Europe have already changed the Strategy there?

As for your assumption the the strategy, I agree that is where it seems to be heading. As long as the USN can build up its forces enough. Remember at the present time the USN only has 2 carriers in theatre and it will be Late 1943 before she will have reached parity with the Japanese again if nothing changes on either side. That suggests Nimitz strategy wont happen till Late 1943, early 1944. You also have to look at the fall out from attacks on the US mainland and Panama. This is going to make it very hard for the US administration to not try some show of force to be spun for the US public. Right now a deployment of Bombers to China is the minimum I can see. This means at least 300 less bombers for Europe and a slower deployment of the USAAF in Britain to attack Germany. If attrition follows its historical levels then the USAAF having losses both in the Med., Britain and now China may have to scale back the number of missions they do all through 1943. The resupply Hose is only so big.
To start thinking about the election in FFO when we have no idea what is going to happen a month from now is al ittle premature, imho. But I think your right....

Russ / Roller007