Leyte Gulf

Just as Jutland was the defining naval battle of WWI, so was Leyte Gulf in WWII, except this was a colossal action, comprising four separate battles and numerous other clashes. By this point in the war the hopes of the Japanese were firmly declining which led to the plan to tackle the American invasion fleet heading for Leyte Gulf, as the first step in retaking the Philippines. There are a lot of misconceptions about this epic clash of battleships, carriers and air power, which Mark Stille tackles with relish, absolving Admiral Halsey from traditional criticism while revealing the suicidal nature of the entire Japanese plan. It’s a concise but utterly gripping and revelatory account.

• Osprey Publishing
• ISBN 978-1-4728-5175-8
• 324 pages. Hardback. £25

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