Editing Attack on Pearl Harbor (section)

===Objectives===
[[File:PearlHarborCarrierChart.jpg|thumb|The route followed by the Japanese fleet to Pearl Harbor and back]]
[[File:A6M2 on carrier Akagi 1941.jpeg|thumb|An Imperial Japanese Navy [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero]] fighter on the aircraft carrier ''[[Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi|Akagi]]'']]
The Japanese attack had several major aims. First, it intended to destroy important American fleet units, thereby preventing the Pacific Fleet from interfering with the Japanese conquest of the Dutch East Indies and Malaya and enabling Japan to conquer Southeast Asia without interference. The leaders of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] (IJN) subscribed to [[Alfred Thayer Mahan]]'s "[[decisive battle]]" doctrine, especially that of destroying the maximum number of battleships. Second, it was hoped to buy time for Japan to consolidate its position and increase its naval strength before shipbuilding authorized by the 1940 [[Two-Ocean Navy Act|Vinson-Walsh Act]] erased any chance of victory.<ref name=Willmott14>{{Harvnb|Willmott|1983|p=14}}.</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Fukudome|1955|p=150}}</ref> Third, to deliver a blow to America's ability to mobilize its forces in the Pacific, battleships were chosen as the main targets, since they were the prestige ships of navies at the time.<ref name=Willmott14/> Finally, it was hoped that the attack would undermine American morale to such an extent that the American government would drop its demands contrary to Japanese interests and seek a peace compromise.{{sfn|Prange|Goldstein|Dillon|1981}}{{page needed|date=December 2021}}{{sfn|Zimm|2011}}{{page needed|date=December 2021}}

Striking the Pacific Fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor had two distinct disadvantages: the targeted ships would be in very shallow water, so it would be relatively easy to salvage and possibly repair them, and most of the crews would survive the attack since many would be on [[shore leave]] or would be rescued from the harbor. A further important disadvantage was the absence of all three of the Pacific Fleet's aircraft carriers ({{USS|Enterprise|CV-6|2}}, {{USS|Lexington|CV-2|2}}, and {{USS|Saratoga|CV-3|2}}). Despite these concerns, Yamamoto decided to press ahead.{{sfn|Evans|Peattie|1997}}{{page needed|date=December 2021}}{{sfn|Willmott|1983}}{{page needed|date=December 2021}}{{sfn|Blair|1975}}{{page needed|date=October 2015}}

Japanese confidence in their ability to win a short war meant that other targets in the harbor, especially the navy yard, oil tank farms and submarine base, were left unscathed<!--not exactly ignored: commanders debated another attack to get them, but it was seen as being too risky-->, since by their thinking the war would be over before the influence of these facilities would be felt.{{sfn|Willmott|1983}}{{page needed|date=December 2021}}