The Battle of Leyte Gulf

By Liz Cote 

            The Battle of Leyte Gulf is often described as the “last great battleship engagement in history” and reigns as the definitive destruction of Japanese naval capabilities.

            Ever since the Battle of Midway, it was considered tradition that America simply pummeled Japan at every naval engagement.  However, in October 1944 Japan sought to change this longstanding ritual.  Desperate to stop the movement of Americans into the Philippines, a plan was devised to halt this progress – a plan that would either completely succeed or fail entirely.

            The basic idea of this Japanese plan was simple.  Admiral Ozawa would enter near Leyte Gulf (in the central Philippines) from the northeast with four aircraft carriers and two battleship carriers, whose sole purpose was to act as a decoy.  The reasoning behind this was that in the Leyte Gulf area were two American fleets: the seventh fleet and the third fleet.  The purpose of the decoy was to lure the third fleet away from the gulf and the other fleet, thusly keeping it from aiding the seventh fleet.  Japan would then later launch an attack in the Gulf, claiming victory and halting American progress.  This was a reasonable approach because the seventh fleet was slow and basically unarmed; it was also the main source of the invasion of the Philippines.  If the third fleet, which was faster and more deadly, could be separated, then Japan may have a chance at defeating them both and finally tasting oceanic victory.

            Although described as one battle, the Battle of Leyte Gulf was comprised of five major engagements, two of which were initial strikes and three others which were notable entanglements after the two enemies had already met at sea.  These battles were:

1. Palawan Passage – October 21, 1944 – This initial clash between the two enemies found Japan unprepared as Vice Admiral Kurita fell victim to a surprise, hidden American attack.  It was so unexpected because Kurita had thought the American fleet would be the one caught unaware; he also was in control of what he thought to be a powerful fleet.  The end damage to Japan was the loss of two cruisers.
2. Battle of the Sibuyan Sea – October 24, 1944 – Now alert to Kurita’s presence around the Philippines, the American third fleet sent air searches out in order to determine the exact location of his fleet.  Once found, the air attacks on the fleet started soon after, hitting and at least minimally damaging all of Kurita’s ships.
3. Battle of Surigao Strait – October 24, 1944 – This encounter pitted Vice Admirals Nishimura and Shima against the American seventh fleet.  Once again Japan underestimated the planning capabilities of their enemy – America was quite well prepared and knowledgeable about Japan’s attack plans and was thusly able to successfully counter with a trap.  A cruiser, three destroyers, and two battleships of the Japanese army were sunk.
4. Battle off Cape Engaño – This was the engagement of the American third fleet against the decoy employed by Japan.  The first in command of Japan’s decoy, Admiral Ozawa’s sole goal was to detain the third fleet for as long as possible – to “die slowly” in order to give other fleets time to defeat the seventh fleet in the gulf.
5. Battle off Samar – This confusing engagement saw the greatest potential for Japanese victory.  Sinking three ships and destroying almost one whole unit, Vice Admiral Kurita disengaged and broke off from the battle after gaining this minor success; the exact reason why has never been confirmed.

Important People

America

-   Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid - commander U. S. Seventh Fleet

-   Gen. Douglas MacArthur - supreme commander of the Southwest Pacific Area

-   Admiral William F. Halsey – commander of U.S. Third Fleet

-   Admiral Chester W. Nimitz - Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet

Japan

-         Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita – fleet leader at Palawan, Sibuyan, and Samar

-         Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimura – involved at Suriago

-         Vice Admiral Kiyohide Shima – involved at Suriago

-         Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa – leader of Japanese decoy

Losses at the Battle of Leyte Gulf

Ships in the US Seventh Fleet

Ships in the US Third Fleet

Bibliography

http://www.battleship.org/html/Articles/History/Leyte0.htm

http://www.grolier.com/wwii/wwii_leyte.html

http://www.odyssey.dircon.co.uk/LEYTE_GULF_US_FORCES_.htm