 Yamamoto felt deception would be required to lure the U.S. fleet into a fatally compromised situation . To this end , he dispersed his forces so that their full extent ( particularly his battleships ) would be unlikely to be discovered by the Americans prior to battle . Critically , Yamamoto 's supporting battleships and cruisers trailed Vice Admiral Chūichi Nagumo 's carrier force by several hundred miles . Japan 's heavy surface forces were intended to destroy whatever elements of the U.S. fleet might come to Midway 's defense once Nagumo 's carriers had weakened them sufficiently for a daylight gun duel ; this was typical of the battle doctrine of most major navies at the time . 
