American descriptions of the raid's purpose overlap with Minoru Genda's planning without matching it exactly. The version closest to a decisive strike prioritized American carriers and land-based aircraft rather than treating battleships as the only important targets. That priority reflected the influence of officers committed to naval aviation and their expectation that surviving battleships would later have to maneuver at sea. Target selection was therefore shaped by doctrinal faction and professional expertise as well as by a single fleet-wide strategy.
Notable Point · 1:04:15-1:05:27
Carrier advocates and Pearl Harbor target priorities
The emphasis on American carriers and land-based aircraft reflected the assumptions of Japanese naval-aviation advocates.