What is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and by some to be the largest naval battle in history, and the first battle in which Japanese aircraft carried out organized kamikaze attacks?
Battle of Leyte Gulf to the American public. Battle of Leyte Gulf The Battle of Leyte Gulf (Filipino: "Labanan sa Golpo ng Leyte") is generally considered to have been the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history. It was fought in waters near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar and Luzon, from 23–26 October 1944, between combined American and Australian forces and the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 20 October, United States troops invaded the island of Leyte as part of a strategy aimed at isolating Japan from the countries it had occupied in
Battle of Leyte Gulf forces: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar, as well as other actions. This was the first battle in which Japanese aircraft carried out organized "kamikaze" attacks. By the time of the battle, Japan had fewer naval ships than the Allied forces had aircraft carriers, underscoring the disparity in force strength at this point in the war. The campaigns of August 1942 to early 1944 had driven Japanese forces from many of their island bases in the south and the central Pacific Ocean, while isolating many