Video - Desperate Skies: The Battle of Leyte Gulf

October 23-26, 1944: The Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle of World War II, takes place as the Allies invade the Philippines to reclaim the archipelago and establish a blockade in Southeast Asia. Japan responds with a desperate counter-attack, deploying its first kamikaze (suicide) bombers. Despite enduring heavy losses—over 23,000 U.S. soldiers and sailors are killed—the battle proves devastating for Japan. The Japanese suffer nearly 420,000 casualties, and their surface fleet is largely crippled. This decisive conflict significantly weakens Japanese naval power and solidifies Allied control of the Pacific, paving the way for further advances in the region.