Why Pearl Harbor target priorities did not require a fixed third-wave script

The panel rejects the idea that Japanese aircraft would return home with weapons merely because the desired battleships or carriers were absent. Warships headed the target list, but dry-dock gates and other naval infrastructure remained useful secondary objectives. A fixed third-wave plan was impractical because commanders could not know the damage achieved, aircraft losses, or whether missing American carriers were nearby. Recovering the first waves would therefore trigger a decision between further attack and preparation for a carrier battle. The exchange uses Pearl Harbor to show why doctrine and experienced staffs can provide options without scripting every contingency in advance.