Leyte Gulf was a key victory for the United States: its scale dwarfed previous sea conflicts and its result created an opportunity for the US forces to invade the Philippines. Four different battles â€" Leyte, Samar, Cape Engaño and the Surigao Strait â€" occurred almost simultaneously as part of a Japanese plan to claim a Trafalgar-style victory over US forces. Yet they were defeated in the battles on the surface, under the sea and in the air. This highly-accessible book describes the conflict's interweaving battles and the personalities of the commanders involved in what has been called ‘the greatest sea battle of all’.