Invasion of Leyte
One of the campaigns in the Pacific that caused controversy was the liberation of the Philippines. Initially, military leaders wanted to bypass the archipelago (group of islands) and trap the large numbers of Japanese forces. General Douglas MacArthur pushed for the campaign, urging the president and others that they had a responsibility to free the Filipino people from their Japanese rulers. He eventually persuaded President Roosevelt into a course of action.
Map of Japanese Control of the Western Pacific.
In October of 1944 over 100,000 American troops landed on the island of Leyte in the Philippines and began the liberation of the Filipino people. Leading the invasion was General MacArthur. During the Battle for Leyte, the American Navy fought in one of the greatest naval battles in the history of warfare. The battle would linger on for three days with over 200 warships engaged. It was during this battle that the Japanese would introduce their use of “kamikazes,” or pilots on suicide missions. Even with such tactics, the Allied forces effectively destroyed the Japanese Navy for good. Despite this tremendous victory, however, the Allies would continue to battle the Japanese in the Philippines until the end of the War.
General MacArthur and other leaders going to shore at the Battle for Leyte.
Soldiers in the Philippines
Map of the invasion of Leyte.