Leyte Gulf, Battle of, was fought between Japanese and United States forces during World War II (1939-1945). The battle took place from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26, 1944, and ended in a decisive U.S. victory. Leyte Gulf lies between the islands of Leyte and Samar in the central Philippines . The Battle of Leyte Gulf ranks as the largest naval battle in history in total tonnage of ships involved. In all, nearly 300 ships took part in the battle. The battle is sometimes called the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea.
Background.
In December 1941, the Japanese military attacked the Philippines, which at that time was a U.S. commonwealth. The last U.S. forces there surrendered in May 1942, and recovery of the Philippines became a major goal of U.S. armed forces in the Pacific . Beginning in late 1942, U.S. forces won a series of hard-fought victories over Japan. By October 1944, the Americans were within reach of the Philippines. That month, U.S. forces invaded the Philippine island of Leyte.
The Allies expected the Japanese to fight hard to hold the Philippines. They therefore assembled the largest landing force yet used in the Pacific campaigns. More than 700 U.S. ships participated in the invasion of Leyte, including the massive firepower of the U.S. Navy’s Third and Seventh fleets. A number of Australian warships supported the U.S. force. In the Battle of Leyte Gulf, three separate Japanese naval groups attempted to destroy the U.S. force protecting and supplying the invasion of Leyte.
The battle.
On Oct. 23, 1944, U.S. submarines sank two Japanese heavy cruisers near Palawan, an island west of Leyte. The cruisers were part of a strong Japanese force in the Sibuyan Sea south of Luzon , the largest of the Philippine Islands. Early on October 24, U.S. Navy warplanes badly damaged several ships of this central force. After a delay to recover and regroup, the Japanese force proceeded toward the San Bernardino Strait between Luzon and Samar.
Also on October 24, U.S. Navy warplanes attacked another Japanese force south of Leyte. American warships later encountered this southern force at the Surigao Straits between Leyte and Mindanao. The surface battle—the last time battleships would fight each other at sea—resulted in the loss of a number of Japanese ships.
On October 25, the still-strong central Japanese force passed through the San Bernardino Strait. East of Samar, they encountered a light U.S. force—a group of small carriers and destroyers called Taffy 3. Despite being badly outnumbered and outgunned, Taffy 3 attacked the Japanese force. Several warships—both Japanese and American—were sunk. The desperate attack decimated Taffy 3, but it stopped the Japanese ships from reaching Leyte Gulf and the invasion forces. Believing Taffy 3 to be part of a much larger force, the Japanese withdrew.
Also on October 25, the bulk of the Third Fleet found Japan’s carrier force north of Luzon. American Navy warplanes then battered this northern force, sinking a number of carriers and other ships. Smaller naval and air actions continued around Leyte into October 26.
Aftermath.
The Imperial Japanese Navy lost 28 warships, about 500 warplanes, and more than 10,000 sailors and aviators in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Japan’s navy was so badly damaged that it was no longer a serious threat for the rest of the war. American losses included 6 warships, over 200 warplanes, and nearly 3,000 killed and wounded.
During the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Japanese unleashed a terrifying new weapon—the kamikaze (suicide attack plane). Kamikazes crashed planes filled with explosives onto Allied warships. Most kamikazes were destroyed before reaching their targets, but many Allied ships were hit. The kamikaze became one of Japan’s major weapons during the rest of the war.
