When one thinks of great naval battles, one thinks of Trafalgar, Jutland, and the sinking of the Bismark. Oddly, the equally difficult struggles of the Pacific are not always considered outside the U.S. Yet there were many including Java Sea, Coral Sea, Midway, Savo Island, Kolombangara and many, many more.

Probably the biggest one ever seen in terms of the numbers of ships involved was the series of battles lumped under the name Leyte Gulf.

1944 was a time when the Japanese Navy was pretty much desperate for that one big battle that much of their tactics and strategy relied on. Attempts had been made in the past, but they never panned out as the Japanese had intended. One thing that the Japanese were good at was planning. The work that went into the Leyte Gulf operation was long and meticulous.

Despite problems along the way, the Japanese nearly carried it off. They succeeded in pulling Halsey's carrier force away from the landing beaches as they knew Halsey would seek glory. What they hadn't counted on was the vacillations and egos of their own commanders. Had they pushed forward and coordinated with each other, the havoc they could have wreaked would have been incredible. Instead, things turned out very differently and it became the last major surface effort of the war.

The author takes you through the build-up to the battle and gives us insights into the character of all the major players. All of the different aspects of the battle ground are laid out for us in terms of the Japanese and US strengths. Then we get into the specific actions themselves and the consequences of choices made by admirals on both sides.

All of this is showcased with quality period photographs as well as superb art work and maps, so we know just how the action unfolded.

In all, an excellent book on what was the largest sea battle of the Pacific War and perhaps of all time. Most highly recommended.

March 2006

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