Leyte Gulf 1944 (1)
The Battles of the Sibuyan Sea and Samar

CAMPAIGN 370

 

This 96-page book is the 370^th book in the Campaign series of books that are available from Osprey Publications.

In October 1944, the US prepared to invade the Philippines to cut Japan off from its resource areas in Southeast Asia. The Japanese correctly predicted this, and prepared a complex operation to use the remaining strength of its navy to defend its possessions. This is the first in a two-part study of the October 23-26 Battle of Leyte Gulf, which resulted in a decisive defeat for the Japanese.

American Survivors Of The Battle Off Samar

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• Opposing Commanders
  • United States Navy
  • Imperial Japanese Navy
• Opposing Forces and Orders of Battle
  • United States Navy
  • Imperial Japanese Navy
  • Order of Battle
• Opposing Plans
  • The American plan
  • The Japanese plan
• The Battle
  • The Air Battle off Formosa
  • Sho-1 is activated
  • Ambush at Palawan
  • The Japanese air attacks
  • The Battle of the Sibuyan Sea
  • Kurita’s indecision
  • The Battle off Samar
  • Kurita’s controversial decision
  • The flight of the First Diversion Attack force
  • The advent of the kamikaze Aftermath
• Bibliography
• Index

FM2 Wildcat Fighter

In the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Imperial Japanese Navy’s First Diversion Strike Force took part in two major actions during the course of the battle: the intense air attacks from US Navy carriers on October 24 (the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, which accounted for superbattleship Musashi), and the compelling action off Samar the following day. This book examines in detail why, following the Samar action, the Imperial Japanese Navy commander of the First Diversion Strike Force (Takeo Kurita) chose to ignore orders and break off the attack into Leyte Gulf—one of the two most controversial decisions of the entire battle. It also covers the Japanese planning for Leyte Gulf, and the strengths and weaknesses of the Imperial Japanese Navy in this phase of the war alongside the US Navy’s planning and command arrangements.

F6F Taking Off From USS Lexington On 10-12-1944

Conclusion

The battle of Leyte Gulf was actually a series of Naval actions that took place between American and Japanese naval and air forces during World War II. The battles that are covered in this 96-page book are the Battles of the Sibuyan Sea and Samar. This book provides the reader with an excellent look at these battles that are part of the larger battle of Leyte Gulf.

Baltimore-class Heavy Cruiser Canberra on 10-10-1944

The Naval Wargamer and Historian will thoroughly enjoy this book and use it to research these battles as the book provides detailed Order of Battle information for the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea on October 24^th, 1944 and the subsequent action off of Samar on October 25^th, 1944. This is the first of 2 books in the Leyte Gulf battles that are well documented in this 96-page book.

Not only the Naval Wargamer and Historian will thoroughly enjoy this book, but the modeler can use this book as inspiration to create vignettes or dioramas capturing the action that readers can reference from the photographs that illustrate the battle. This is a book that will charge the creative spirit of the modeler, naval wargamer and historian as they read the pages and study the photographs of this book.

Campaign 370 Leyte Gulf (1) 1944, is the first of a 2 book series that is a 96-page paperback book that is available from Osprey Publications.

Paperback 9781472842855	$24.00
eBook (ePub) 9781472842862	$19.20
eBook (PDF) 9781472842831	$19.20

(The photographs used in this review are copied with the permission of Osprey Publications.)

Bundle Offer! Choose a print and eBook format above and get 25% off both!