Answer:
To gain a leg up
Step-by-step explanation:
The US arranged all military ships but 3 aircraft carriers in Pearl Harbor in hopes that Japan would calm down. However the Japanese saw this as a good opportunity to try and cripple the US fleet so they could perhaps force a peace deal. This was a missee opportunity, however. WNile many ships and lives were lost that day, the Japs didn‘t hit key oil/gas ships and also didn’t bomb the planes like they could‘ve. All this caused for an ultimate flop of an attack.