Battle of Leyte Gulf
1944 · Leyte Gulf (now Philippines) · World · Modern
The Japanese used Ozawa's fleet as a decoy to draw off Halsey's main force, but Kurita's fleet, after being stubbornly resisted by escort carrier groups off the San Bernardino Strait, withdrew midway. Japan's Combined Fleet effectively lost the ability to conduct organized ocean-going operations.
Belligerents
United States
- Commanders
- William Halsey, Thomas Kinkaid
- Strength
- Carrier and battleship groups of unprecedented size
Japan
- Commanders
- Kurita Takeo, Ozawa Jisaburo
- Strength
- Combined Fleet committed almost in full
Background
MacArthur led US forces ashore on Leyte in the Philippines, fulfilling his promise "I shall return," and Japan's Combined Fleet staked everything on an all-out sortie to destroy the landing fleet.
Course of the battle
- Decoy lures the enemy awayJapan's Ozawa fleet used carriers with only a handful of remaining aircraft as bait to lure Halsey's main fleet north in pursuit.
- Battle off SamarKurita's main force seized the opening to push toward Leyte Gulf and unexpectedly ran into fierce fighting with escort carriers and destroyer groups.
- First kamikaze attacksDuring the battle, the Japanese organized kamikaze special attack units for the first time to carry out suicide attacks on US warships.
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1944 |
|---|---|
| Place | Leyte Gulf (now Philippines) |
| Result | The Japanese used Ozawa's fleet as a decoy to draw off Halsey's main force, but Kurita's fleet, after being stubbornly resisted by escort carrier groups off the San Bernardino Strait, withdrew midway. Japan's Combined Fleet effectively lost the ability to conduct organized ocean-going operations. |
| Winner | United States |
| Casualties | Japan lost more than 20 ships, including carriers and battleships, while US losses were comparatively light. |
| Territorial change | US forces secured their landing on Leyte in the Philippines, and Japan's maritime supply lines could no longer be sustained. |
Impact
The Battle of Leyte Gulf is considered the largest fleet engagement in naval history. After it, the Japanese navy lost the ability to fight a decisive ocean battle with intact formations, and kamikaze tactics made their debut.
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