On this day, October 23rd, 1944, the Allied Navy, predominately American engaged the Imperial Japanese Navy in arguably the largest naval battle in the history- the Battle of Leyte Gulf. This Battle marked the end of Japanese Naval capability as they would never again sailed to fight in considerable size. Allied forces had larger numbers of ships, fighters, and sailors than the Japanese; the American advantages in military hardware and in numbers were obvious and decisive to the win. In the near end of this three day battle, the desperate Japanese launched the first kamikaze attacks on the allied carriers and cruisers.

The victorious outcome of this battle hinted the down fall of the Japanese during the war. The blockade were established to isolate native Japan to their occupied territories in southeast Asia. At this point, Japan was deprived of resources from their “colonies,” and the forces stationed in the colonies were running out of the supplies. The Allies had completely destroyed the Japanese hope of fulfilling the Tanaka Memorial, their war time plan for taking over the world.