Final answer:
The statement that Japan hoped to destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet by attacking Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, is true. The attack resulted in significant U.S. losses but missed the aircraft carriers, affecting the long-term outcome of World War II.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that Japan hoped to destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet by preemptively striking the U.S. Hawaiian base on Dec. 7, 1941. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was a strategic military decision by the Japanese to neutralize American naval power and prevent the United States from intervening in Japan's planned expansion throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
The Japanese military, under the command of General Tojo, launched an assault with over 300 torpedo planes and bombers, aiming to deliver a crippling blow to the U.S. fleet. The attack resulted in significant losses for the United States: four battleships sunk, several cruisers and destroyers damaged, over 180 aircraft destroyed, and 2,403 American servicemen killed with a thousand more wounded. However, Japan's failure to destroy the U.S. aircraft carriers, which were out on maneuvers and not in the harbor, was crucial and had long-term implications for the outcome of World War II, as these carriers would play a pivotal role in the U.S. Navy's recovery and subsequent victories.