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The Battle for Leyte Gulf

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    Last great naval battle of World War II

  • Duration 10:24
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This transcript is automatically generated

I'm Oliver North welcome to war stories.

This is the deck of the USS New Jersey now permanently berth in Camden, New Jersey is a museum.

This vessels illustrious career includes serving as admiral bull halting its flagship but what's been called the last great -- battle of World War II.

In October of 1940 for the Japanese made a desperate gamble -- late -- golf in an effort to stop America's march toward Tokyo.

The battle also -- -- sneak attack of some December 41 and some of the ships resurrected from the bottom of Pearl Harbor took on the Japanese police.

Tonight you'll hear from some of the men who live in the general Douglas MacArthur on the -- as of late today.

We'll also meet some of the sailors.

When things for the biggest and best for the Japanese -- headed straight for what the rules of modern warfare spelled as certain defeat.

-- -- the battle on the high seas that's next on war stories.

7 December 1941.

Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor -- 2004 from three Americans.

It also sank their damaged 21 -- among the USS Maryland and West Virginia.

Within weeks changing the -- -- what was left of the Pacific -- over a text admiral Chester Nimitz.

He faced the daunting task quickly rebuilding its -- and using it take on the battle hardened Japanese imperial name.

Reporting the Nimitz was a tough New Jersey born -- said William F bull Halsey.

-- -- -- Pearl Harbor was bombed you've been targeting enterprise James Warren Fisher is the author of the last thing into the tin can sailors.

He wanted to chase down -- carrier force construct Pearl Harbor that would have been -- with Cadillac.

But that's what He was all about.

It was Halsey seeing the destruction -- -- are -- declared.

It forward through them the Japanese language will be spoken only in hell.

-- revenge would have to wait for the first six months of the war.

Better -- -- numerically superior Japanese continued unabated Rampage across the Pacific.

Four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor the Philippines fell -- the Japanese hands.

Army general Douglas MacArthur was ordered -- the safety of Australia by president Roosevelt.

The sullen MacArthur vowed He would return.

The cars that are obviously there's almost spiritual investment and returning the -- and -- -- everything to.

Richard Frank is a Vietnam veteran.

And an expert on the war in the Pacific get wise thing to which MacArthur was most devoted for the first three quarters of the war -- MacArthur piece together a strategy of re taking lost ground in June of 42 minutes scored a hard won victory at the battle of midway.

And American forces drove -- relentlessly.

Humid is rebuilt navy in the Marines retaking the central Pacific we'll macarthur's army was victorious.

I would have -- from -- good target Japan.

-- 1944.

Two years of heavy losses of aircraft and air crews -- -- the Japanese navy to the brink.

Slaughter in the skies over the Philippine sea -- the death knell for the once mighty Japanese air -- Our pilots -- 380 aerial pills.

Virtually wiped out the last vestiges of Japan's naval air power.

Submarine corps and all around the Japanese empire and these supplies of natural resources between -- and -- -- have been virtually -- off with Japanese are being pressed across the board.

We knew that the -- coming.

Yeah mark previously coauthor of Qaeda and the problem with the Japanese -- like they didn't know where.

Sure 1234.

Show one for the defense in the Philippines show tunes for the defensive Formosa show three will defend.

Any American attack on -- southern Japanese island and show for.

Is designed to repel an invasion of northern Japan -- show is the Japanese word for victory.

The plans to repel the invaders -- the brainchild of levels so -- able to -- It's an elaborate on -- plan they believe in the divine hand -- events.

And if the divine hand is on their side they're bound to succeed.

MacArthur and in its battle over strategy.

The president was firmly committed to re taking the Philippines -- -- that's one of the bypass.

And -- foremost now known as Taiwan as a matter of personal honor.

MacArthur feels a personal -- the Philippine people I shall return I shall return said -- himself.

Brings -- two commanders.

To Hawaii for a sit down such was the force of macarthur's personality that He was able to convince not only FDR but -- himself.

But returning the Philippines.

Japanese realized that if we see the Philippines.

Here and -- -- there really cut them off key resources for oil.

MacArthur wanted his own -- And so He had the seventh fleet under I'd -- in case we've had a -- -- combat experience.

North over the -- tape 700 ship.

Left New -- and -- those children.

-- -- -- One member of macarthur's landing force was 22 year old Paul Austin from Fort Worth, Texas the commander of -- company 44 infantry.

How far outside of -- before you find out what your objective three days.

They've thrown into relief mail him on the map -- have put and they were restored late.

Late today the 110 mile long southern most part of the Philippine archipelago was chosen as the landing site because it's beaches were approachable.

From different directions.

When the American armada bearing down on late -- gulf was spotted.

And hopefully at a -- implement it shall play and want the.

Plan was to children through surface -- through the Philippine archipelago.

And have them midnight.

On the West Coast to destroy.

What our cable fortunately found there.

And it turned landing position that we had made -- East Coast of late bullet holes He was in charge of protecting -- landing force.

Third -- under policy that is powerful enough to challenge and policies were the combined fleets in the world so at this point in the war it's a matter.

Managing and he's just overwhelmed about these sorts of -- it strangled and give them no hope and food Japanese lady had conceived.

And that's.

Naval war with the United States return the outcome of what they -- as -- -- and decisive.

Please tell her they -- to make it.

Decisive battle and that was perfectly fine with holes he's an aggressive commander wants nothing work to tangle with the Japanese.

-- on that policy would have.

Given his life.

Who have been able to command American forces that way He missed the battle of the Philippine city so this appears to be -- great chance.

I'm -- Atlantis and according to shield.

There it was fun usually -- -- ones Clinton.

We'll click to the -- On October -- him in the seventh -- battle line.

She's in the old veterans -- Pearl Harbor Pennsylvania Merrill in the West Virginia they move in.

And Begin bombarding western islands as preparation and it.

You know we're going back up on that.

-- And hours just before the wing punctured.

It was about six collective -- when it dropped anchor Paul and I stood up that.

-- have watched that prevented.

Bombardment.

That was what shall 157004.

Of July -- 26 year old Benoit from Helena Montana was the executive officer of G cup.

24 infantry division to remember how long that ride was can be medals -- through three quarters of an hour.

For Europe yet.

What there was so much going on that you -- you at all.

Then you're just let's get -- getter over where it dropped that rampant let's get ashore and remember to -- -- -- -- -- -- And the Japanese took -- -- -- action in -- to -- dude you're LC VP make it all the way the beach yes we've got we've got to shore -- 10 o'clock.

And I guess that was about going to be about a record for an hour after that it.

That MacArthur came insurer was his -- on what does that mean to the true.

It was -- uplifting.

We have heard that phrase.

-- return over and over if we get this man back to the food -- We were very -- hey.

-- was work Douglas MacArthur finally set foot back from Philippine soil and 20 October 1944.

Two years seven months in nine days after vowing to return to footage seen -- the world was late to landing has become one of the most memorable.

And controversial images of World War II.

Some people claiming that this was all -- Dugout -- would return.

There were a lot of scurrilous stories they're apps which -- McArthur did in fact commercial.

-- beach now it's true that the picture of him coming to this look of destiny.

-- be a little too much stage it was real.

There's -- biographer apparently suggested they look exactly.

-- and this week.

They got a very well He.

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