The answer is A) a recession
Specifically, the Battle of the Coral Sea prevented the Japanese carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku from joining in the Battle of Midway one month later.
Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was an American Confederate general best known as a commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He commanded the Army of Northern Virginia from 1862 until its surrender in 1865 and earned a reputation as a skilled tactician.
The previous route was very dangerous and was also expensive to traverse. Early travelers encountered dangers such as war zones and diseases. They also had to cross deserts and mountains to get to their destination. Progress was made when a new route via the sea was discovered. This limited the perils that were once faced.