“The Japanese hurt the US Navy but failed to take out critical infrastructure at Pearl Harbor, for example dry docks and fuel dumps.”
Excellent points that must not be overlooked. Throw in the serendipitous fact that the carriers were at sea on December 7th with exercises and you have the reasons behind the previously mentioned successes at the Coral Sea and Midway Island which broke the back of the IJN in 1942. Damaged ships at Pearl were moved to the dry docks for repair/refit and returned to sea as part of carrier groups that hunted down the IJN while using the reserve bunker fuel from Pearl.
You must remember to give great credit to the USN intelligence groups that broke the Japanese communications code enabling the USA Army & Navy stationed at Midway Island to firmly know that the Japanese task force would attack Midway Island. The USA air arm based at Midway was ready, as was the aircraft carriers out at sea.
China has never forgotten, General Claire Chennault and his “Flying Tigers” American volunteers, known to the Chinese to this very day as the “AVG” (The American Volunteer Group). As such, they were prepared on the China mainland for the arrival of the “Jimmy Doolittle” B-25 Raid of Tokyo, aircraft who ran out of fuel near the China coast. Many Chinese died protecting the American Army Air Force Pilots after they ditched and parachuted to the China coast.
I was in Beijing in 1984 on business with CAAC, the Chinese national airline discussing a contract with the Deputy Director of Engineering and he was telling me that he was a mechanic working with General Chennault prior to WWII. He broke into tears when he recalled the young American pilots of the AVG (Flying Tigers)that died defending China. He told me China will never forget your young boys that volunteered to help China. He related that in Chinese schools the children still learn about the “AVG” (American Volunteer Group), the young American pilots, mechanics, nurses, etc. Much history & memories, good & bad!!! America is a great country...as are her people!!!