largest tank battle in ww2 battle of leyte gulf

It was also a personal matter of pride for MacArthur: in 1942, just a month before Japan forced the surrender of all US Army Forces in the Far East, US President Franklin D.

Control of this archipelago was vital for Japan’s survival in World War II as it commanded the sea routes to and from Borneo and Sumatra by which rubber and petroleum were shipped to the Japanese home islands.įor the USA, the recaptured of the Philippine islands group was a key strategic step in the planned isolation of Japan’s military holdings in China, the South-West Pacific Area and the Pacific Areas. Japan had taken the Philippine islands group in 'M' (ii) during the first moths of 1942. 'King II' launched the whole campaign of 1944/45 for the recapture and liberation of the entire Philippine islands group. The 'King II' amphibious landing on the eastern side of the island paved the way for a US and Filipino guerrilla land campaign, under the overall command of General Douglas MacArthur, against the Japanese occupation under the overall command of General Tomoyuki Yamashita’s 14 th Area Army. The 'Battle of Leyte' was fought between Allied and Japanese forces for the island of Leyte in the Philippine islands group (17 October/26 December 1944).

Largest tank battle in ww2 battle of leyte gulf