Osprey Campaign 163 : Leyte Gulf 1944 : The World's Greatest Sea Battle

Leyte Gulf was a key victory for the United States, its scale dwarfed previous sea conflicts and its result created an opportunity for the US forces to invade the Philippines. Four different battles; Leyte, Samar, Cape Engaño and the Surigao Strait, occurred almost simultaneously as part of a Japanese plan to claim a Trafalgar-style victory over US forces. Yet they were defeated in the battles on the surface, under the sea and in the air. This book describes the conflict's interweaving battles and the personalities of the commanders involved in what has been called 'the greatest sea battle of all'. Text by Bernard Ireland with illustrations by Howard Gerrard.

Contents

• Origins of the Campaign
• Opposing Forces
• Opposing Strategies
• The Campaign
• Aftermath
• Bibliography
• Index