The decision to prioritize the Leyte operation in the Philippines during WWII was a strategic move that informed the course of the rest of the war in the Pacific. The plan was heavily criticized for its use of Navy fuel, but ended up being a crucial victory for the United States.
In an air battle that went on for several days over Formosa, the Japanese lost around 700 planes, which dramatically decreased their chance of succeeding in their actions in the Philippines during MacArthur's return.
The Pearl Harbor attack left the US Pacific fleet in shambles, with battleships destroyed and countless lives lost. However, the carriers of the Pacific fleet managed to escape and proved to be the instrumental weapon in the US's eventual retaliation against Japan.
Japan had approximately six million tons of merchant shipping at the time of the Pearl Harbor attacks, in short supply for all nations during the war. Submarines would account for roughly 60% of the Japanese merchant ships that were sunk, with allied aircraft accounting for most of the rest.
The abilities of damage control crews back at port, such as Pearl Harbor, to quickly turnaround and repair ships will be crucial to the war effort in WWII. The heroic efforts of these crews in controlling fires, preventing ships from listing, and getting damaged ships back into operation will be vital to winning battles.
The question of how long it took for the Japanese planes to take off from their carriers and reach Pearl Harbor remains a topic of debate and speculation, as the narrow transition window made the attack possible only within a certain time frame.