"Samuel Eliot Morison was commissioned into the United States Naval Reserve in 1942. During his time in the reserves he began writing the 'History of United States Naval Operations in World War II', a work in fifteen volumes that covers strategic planning, battle tactics, and technological advances used during America's war at sea, as well as the heroic actions of many of the participants. In this volume on the Battle of Leyte, Morison found that supurb skill, heroism, and aggressiveness, including confusion, surprise, and faulty assumptions were significant factors in the outcome. The victory enabled the U.S. Navy to move troops and long-range bomber planes into positions so close to Japan that defeat was almost inevitable. Morison's account includes major engagements surrounding the taking of Leyte: the U.S. Navy's extraordinary display of "gallantry, guts, and gumption" at the Battle of Samar and the extraordinary execution of action and battle plans that took place during the Battle of Surigao Strait."--Back cover.

Originally published: Boston : Little, Brown, 1958. Publication data and ISBN for this edition obtained from Naval Institute Press website (https://www.usni.org) on 16 March 2017.

Part I. Strategy and Preliminaries. After the Marianas, What? June - September 1944 -- Morotai, September - November 1944 -- The Palaus and Ulithi, September - November 1944 -- Plans and Commands for Leyte, September - October 1944 -- Leyte Logistics -- Formosa Air Battle, 10-20 October 1944 -- Part II. The Amphibious Phase. Preliminaries, 7-20 October 1944 -- The Main Landings, 20-29 October 1944 -- Part III. The Battle for Leyte Gulf. Moves on the Naval Chessboard, 17-24 October 1944 -- The Air Battles of 24 October -- The Battle of Surigao Strait, 24-25 October 1944 -- The Battle off Samar - The Main Action, 25 October 1944 -- The Battle off Samar, Break-off and Pursuit, 25-29 October 1944 --The Battle off Cape Engaño, 25-26 October 1944 -- Naval Operations around Leyte, 26 October - 25 November 1944 -- Leyte Secured, 16 November 1944 - 10 May 1945 -- Submarine Patrols, September - November 1944.