Shokaku and Zuikaku transform the raid

The carrier selection is used to argue that Pearl Harbor was intended as a mission from which the striking force would return. Japan left weaker carriers behind and selected the First, Second and Fifth Carrier Divisions: Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku and Zuikaku. If a force had been intended for sacrifice, using less valuable flight decks would have made more sense in this interpretation. The newly completed Shokaku-class ships added substantial modern air groups. Their inclusion is credited with changing a provoking raid into an operation capable of disrupting concentrated American naval power for one or two years. That expected disruption was temporary because American construction capacity would eventually replace losses.