Leyte Gulf: A New History of the World's Largest Sea Battle

by Mark Stille

Overview

'A worthy addition to any bookshelf.', The Naval Review

A fascinating re-examination of the battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval encounter in history and probably the most decisive naval battle of the entire Pacific War.

Leyte was a huge and complex action, actually consisting of four major battles, each of which are broken down in detail in this book, using original sources. The plans of both sides, and how they dictated the events that followed, are also examined critically.

So much of the accepted wisdom of the battle has developed from the many myths that surround it, myths that have become more firmly established over time. In this new study, Pacific War expert Mark Stille examines the key aspects of this complex battle with new and insightful analysis and dismantles the myths surrounding the respective actions and overall performances of the two most important commanders in the battle, and the “lost victory” of the Japanese advance into Leyte Gulf that never happened.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472851765
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	01/07/2025
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	159,345
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 9.21(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Mark Stille is the author of numerous Osprey titles focusing on naval history in the Pacific. A career in the intelligence community spanning nearly 40 years saw him undertake tours on the faculty of the Naval War College, on the Joint Staff and on US Navy ships. He received his BA in History from the University of Maryland and also holds an MA from the Naval War College. He lives in Maryland.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Myths of Leyte Gulf
Chapter 1: The Road to Leyte Gulf
Chapter 2: The Japanese Plan: Another Decisive Battle
Chapter 3: Two Navies, Two Different Directions
Chapter 4: MacArthur Returns
Chapter 5: The Adventure of the Center Force
Chapter 6: A Naval Execution: The Battle of Surigao Strait
Chapter 7: The Myth of Samar
Chapter 8: Kurita's Brave Decision
Chapter 9: Halsey's Race to the North – Folly or Justified?
Chapter 10: The Final Actions
Chapter 11: The Reckoning
Index

Editorial Reviews

This work rises smartly above the massive literature on the Battle of Leyte Gulf with its concise yet very sophisticated narrative and above all analysis.… I can think of no other work that is at once so accessible and so comprehensive in probing the endless complexities of this titanic clash.” —Richard B. Frank, author of 'Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire'

“Incorporating revelations of the latest published works and nautical archaeology, this is the most up to date and likely to be lasting overall study of the Leyte Gulf actions in one accessible account.” —Anthony P. Tully, co-author of 'Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway'

“Masterful. Mark Stille debunks many of the myths still surrounding history's largest naval battle.… A worthy read for any naval historian.” —Jon Parshall, co-author of 'Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway'

“A concise but utterly gripping and revelatory account.” —The Armourer

“While some may have thought the story of Leyte Gulf had been told and the proverbial book closed, Stille presents a fresh perspective of the epic battle, a look that's worthy of praise both for taking on the immense topic to begin with and also for the resulting book, which is a triumph.” —History of War

“For those interested in the sea battles between the USN and the IJN or decision-making under stress, this is a must-read. For the rest of us, it's a great book about a fascinating element of the Pacific War.” —Army Rumour Service

“A worthy addition to any bookshelf.” —The Naval Review

“Pacific War expert Mark E. Stille brings fresh, insightful analysis to key aspects of the battle, dismantling misconceptions around the actions and performances of its two most important commanders - Halsey and Kurita.” —Ships Monthly

“Well written. Well researched. The tale unfolds with precision and includes expert analysis.” —HMGS

“It's refreshing and makes for an eminently readable story…A great read for World War II navy nerds.” —History Nerds United

“a truly new history of the battle …Using a wealth of primary sources and providing a large amount of data on ships, aircraft, and fleets, the author backs up his ardent assertions with sharp analysis and logic.” —New York Journal of Books

“His new in-depth account makes for indispensable reading.” —StrategyPage

“New in-depth research and analysis in a single hard-bound volume. [Stille] has set himself a very hard task, but he is up to it... Stille's ability to keep data organized in this lengthy account of what was undoubtedly the greatest naval battle of the 20th century, putting it on a par with the Battle of Midway in June 1942, places this new book and new assessment of Leyte far beyond what I have seen.” —National Aviation News

From the Publisher