then create a defensive perimeter to defeat Allied counterattacks, this would in turn lead to a negotiated peace settlement. The initial period of the war was divided into two operational phases. The First Operational Phase was further divided into three separate parts; during these, the major objectives of the Philippines, British Malaya, Borneo, Burma, Rabaul, and the Dutch East Indies would be occupied. The Second Operational Phase would entail further expansion into the South Pacific by seizing eastern New Guinea, New Britain, the Fiji Islands, Samoa, and strategic points in the Australian area. In the Central Pacific, Midway would be taken as well as the Aleutian Islands in the Northern Pacific. Seizure of these key areas would provide a defensive perimeter and depth to deny the Allies staging areas from which to mount a counteroffensive. Naval operations (1941-1942) Pearl Harbor On December 7, 1941, the two waves of 350 aircraft from the six carriers gained complete surprise and successfully hit their intended targets. The initial attacks against Hawaiian airfields were also very successful and negated any possibility of an effective airborne defense or the initiation of a retaliatory strike on the Japanese carriers by American aircraft. Achieving total surprise, the well-trained Japanese aircrews dealt a series of heavy blows against the Pacific Fleet. Forty B5N torpedo bombers were the most crucial part of the operation since they were to be targeted against the main battleships and carriers. Of the eight American battleships present in the harbor, five were subjected to torpedo attack and Japanese torpedo aircraft were responsible for the sinking of the battleships , and . A single torpedo hit also struck the . Additionally, torpedoes sank a target ship and a minelayer, and damaged the two light cruisers, and . In return, the Japanese only lost five torpedo bombers. The efforts of the torpedo bombers were complemented by an additional 49 B5N configured as level bombers and armed with 1,760lb armor-piercing bombs. They dropped their payload from , scoring ten hits. One of these penetrated the forward magazine of battleship and completely destroyed the ship. Other hits slightly damaged the battleships , , and . The 167 aircraft of the second wave, however, accomplished much less. This attack wave included 78 dive-bombers with the IJN's best crews. However, against stationary targets, they scored only some 15 hits including five on the Nevada, which slowly moved down the channel