Summary of C. Vann Woodward's The Battle for Leyte Gulf

Everest Media

Description

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.
Sample Book Insights:
#1 The Japanese Fleet had not been deployed in strength since the Battle of the Coral Sea, two years earlier. The American Pacific offensive had converged in two mighty thrusts aimed at the Philippines, flanking them from the east and south. The landing in the Philippines would be unlike any other American landings.
#2 The landings on Morotai and Peleliu went ahead as planned, but the Third Fleet began air strikes on Yap Island to neutralize enemy airfields that might interfere with the landings on September 26. This revealed much unexpected weakness of the enemy in that area.
#3 The speed at which the supreme army and navy commands coordinated their plans and forces for the Leyte operation was one of the greatest achievements of the Pacific War. The Japanese base was being withdrawn from Truk all the way to Brunei Bay on the western side of Borneo.
#4 The Battle of the Philippine Sea was the largest loss of life for the Japanese in the war, and it spelled the end of the Japanese carrier-based air power. The Japanese fleet organization underwent extensive changes between June and October 1944, as the Japanese tried to rebuild their carrier air groups.

Sujets

• History
• Civil War
• United States
• Military
• Histoire

Informations

• Publié par: Everest Media LLC
• Date de parution: 03 mai 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781669399391
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Insights on C. Vann Woodward's The Battle for Leyte Gulf
Contents Insights from Chapter 1 Insights from Chapter 2 Insights from Chapter 3 Insights from Chapter 4 Insights from Chapter 5 Insights from Chapter 6
Insights from Chapter 1

#1

The Japanese Fleet had not been deployed in strength since the Battle of the Coral Sea, two years earlier. The American Pacific offensive had converged in two mighty thrusts aimed at the Philippines, flanking them from the east and south. The landing in the Philippines would be unlike any other American landings.

#2

The landings on Morotai and Peleliu went ahead as planned, but the Third Fleet began air strikes on Yap Island to neutralize enemy airfields that might interfere with the landings on September 26. This revealed much unexpected weakness of the enemy in that area.

#3

The speed at which the supreme army and navy commands coordinated their plans and forces for the Leyte operation was one of the greatest achievements of the Pacific War. The Japanese base was being withdrawn from Truk all the way to Brunei Bay on the western side of Borneo.

#4

The Battle of the Philippine Sea was the largest loss of life for the Japanese in the war, and it spelled the end of the Japanese carrier-based air power. The Japanese fleet organization underwent extensive changes between June and October 1944, as the Japanese tried to rebuild their carrier air groups.

#5

The Japanese fleet was reorganized into the Striking Force, under the command of Admiral Ozawa. The Striking Force was divided into two task forces, the Main Body and No. 1 Diversion Attack Force, which included the main gun power of the fleet.

#6

The Japanese plan was to decoy off our fast carrier covering force to allow the battleships to pass through and destroy our invasion shipping. The Main Body was assigned the duty of acting as a decoy to lure off the carrier group.

#7

The Battle of the Philippine Sea was the most intense air battle the Japanese had ever fought, and it proved that our carriers could approach and destroy the strongest enemy air base outside of Japan, while standing off the heaviest counterattacks.

#8

The Japanese propaganda between October 12 and 18 was, in fact, based on a whole people being infected by self-deception. The fears with which they had long lived had now materialized, and their reaction was the pathology of fear.

#9

The Japanese navy, despite the high command’s reasoning, was extremely excited about the prospect of attacking the Americans in Leyte. They were expecting to find a large number of damaged American ships, which would make their victory even greater than it was in reality.

#10

The Japanese navy believed that if they seized the Philippines, it would cut off all fuel supply to the American Empire, and the war would end in all areas south of the Empire. The Philippines were vital to the continuation of the war.

#11

The Sho Operation created a command situation of incredible complexity. There were now three fleets, each under an independent command, Kurita’s, Ozawa’s, and Shima’s. The naval land-based planes in the Philippines were under the Southwest Area Command, which was directly or indirectly under Admiral Toyoda in Tokyo.

#12

The American command situation was not as complex as the Japanese, but it was not without complications. The two fleets involved in the Leyte operation were the Third Fleet and Western Pacific Task Forces, under Admiral Halsey, and the Seventh Fleet and Central Philippines Attack Force, under Vice Admiral Kinkaid.

#13

The Japanese Navy had little chance in an action against the combined forces of the Third and Seventh Fleet. What chance the enemy had lay in following up the advantages at his disposal, which included land-based air power and a strategically favorable geography.

#14

The commander of the Third Fleet, Admiral Halsey, was to conduct carrier air strikes on the northern and central Philippines beginning on A-minus-4 day and continuing through A-day. The two men in command of the fleets participating in the Battle for Leyte Gulf, Admiral Halsey and Vice Admiral Kinkaid, were of equally distinguished records in the Pacific naval war.

#15

In temperament, as in areas of command, the two men were antipodal. While one was volatile and spectacular by nature, the other was inclined to restraint and reserve. The colorful pronouncements of the carrier admiral are eminently quotable.

#16

The Battle for Leyte Gulf was the largest naval battle in history at the time, with over 500,000 men involved. The Japanese were able to defend the island, but the Americans were able to land and take it anyway.

#17

The Leyte Gulf beachhead was established by the end of A-day. By the end of the following day, 103,000 troops of the XXIV Corps and X Corps were safely landed. No previous amphibious operation in the Pacific had brought together so many targets to tempt and bait an enemy surface attack.