The Pacific War was in full swing, and the arrogance of the Japanese Empire had been shattered by the fierce counterattack of the American army. In October 1944, what has been described as "the largest naval battle in human history" began in Leyte Gulf. The Japanese deployed a large fleet in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the war. However, it was destined to be a futile contest that foreshadowed the demise of the Japanese Navy. When the smoke cleared, only the ruins of the Japanese warships remained, and their dreams came to naught. What really happened at the Battle of Leyte Gulf?
On October 20, 1944, U.S. forces launched a large-scale landing operation on Leyte Island with the intention of cutting off Japan's ties with its southern colonies. In the face of the US attack, the Japanese Combined Fleet reacted quickly and mobilized a large number of ships to advance separately and prepare for a decisive battle with the US forces in Leyte Gulf.
The fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Jizaburo Ozawa was chosen as a decoy force to attract the attention of the main force of the American army. At dawn on October 25, Ozawa's fleet spotted the traces of the U.S. aircraft carrier fleet and immediately ordered more than 60 fighters to attack. As the sky slowly brightened, Japanese planes uniformly saturated and bombed the US aircraft carrier formation. The U.S. military reacted quickly, and fighter jets took to the air to meet the fight. The planes of the two sides launched fierce firing and maneuvering in mid-air, and the sky was suddenly filled with gunpowder smoke and wreckage everywhere. Despite the courage of the Japanese pilots, they were unable to make a decisive breakthrough under anti-aircraft fire and advanced fighters. This round of attacks by Ozawa's fleet put some pressure on the US military, but it also paid a heavy price.
At the same time, the Nishimura fleet hid in the darkness of the Surigao Strait. When they approached Leyte Island, they were indiscriminately bombed by US aircraft carriers. The Nishimura fleet returned fire on and off at the Americans, but it was difficult to gain an advantage with limited sight and inexperience in night combat. The battle lasted for several hours, with the guns of both sides roaring incessantly, and the blazing flames swaying on the sea. In the end, Lieutenant General Nishimura Shoji was unfortunately killed, and the remaining ships had to flee in disarray. This small force of attack was completely annihilated by the American forces, leaving only a few scarred survivors.
On 26 October, the Kurita fleet encountered a heavy air attack by US carrier-based aircraft during its retreat to the north. Dozens of planes carrying bombs and torpedoes attacked from different heights and directions, forming a terrifying network of fire. The Japanese air defense efforts pale in comparison, and one battleship after another was killed in the bombing. However, the Yamato, the world's largest warship at the time, survived the air raid and held the last vestige of the Japanese Navy.
After successive defeats, the Japanese Navy suffered heavy losses, the aircraft carriers were completely destroyed, and dozens of cruisers and destroyers were destroyed. Important battleships such as the "Musashi" were also reduced to ashes, and with it, the dominance of the Japanese Navy in the Pacific. The Battle of Leyte Gulf became a desperate battle for the Japanese Navy, who lost their sea supremacy and the courage to continue in the war.
After the defeat at Leyte Gulf, 100,000 Japanese troops under the command of Yamashita Fumimi were in a desperate situation. The U.S. forces cut off their supply lines, and disease and hunger began to spread among the troops. Although the Yamashita Army finally retreated to the jungle and mountainous areas to continue its stubborn resistance, it was powerless in the face of the heavy pressure of the American army. Hungry Japanese soldiers were killed in the dense forest, and their troops were gradually being eaten away.
As time went on, the U.S. military gradually took control of the Philippines, and the situation of the Japanese army became more and more desperate. As the fighting for their homeland continued to burn and the Allied bombardment intensified, the Yamashita troops lost their last hope. The Battle of Leyte Gulf not only destroyed the strength of the Japanese navy, but also revived their hearts. Once a formidable samurai, he finally struggled in the flames of war.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the most significant defeat suffered by the Japanese Empire in the Pacific War. This naval battle, unprecedented in human history, saw the destruction of the Japanese Navy. For a time, the majestic battleships and majestic aircraft carriers were all turned into a sea of fire, and the once proud supremacy of the sea no longer existed. The army units led by Yamashita Fengfumi were even more desperate, groping for survival in the jungle. The Battle of Leyte Gulf marked the weakening of Japan's strategic power, and their dreams were shattered. What this battle left to the world was not only a tragic scene filled with gunsmoke, but also a scene of struggle when it was on the verge of destruction. The years are ruthless, the war is ruthless, and the arrogance of the year has long been crushed into a mess. We have to sigh that the oriental dragon was humiliated in just a few years.