Answer: The phrase "Admiral Kimmel felt he had all he could do just to train new recruits" means that Admiral Kimmel believed that his primary responsibility and focus should be on training new recruits for the US Navy, rather than engaging in other activities or operations. This suggests that Admiral Kimmel may have felt that the US Navy was not sufficiently prepared or equipped for combat, and that his priority was to build up the Navy's strength and readiness. The phrase implies that Admiral Kimmel was likely facing significant challenges in training new recruits, which may have been due to a shortage of resources, lack of experience, or other factors.
Explanation: In this context, "Admiral Kimmel felt he had all he could do just to train new recruits" means that Admiral Kimmel believed that his current responsibilities of training new recruits were already overwhelming, and he did not have the capacity to take on any additional responsibilities, such as planning raids on the mandated islands, beyond the necessary defensive strategies.