7Often appropriately described as the "greatest naval battle in history," the battle of Leyte Gulf (23-26 October 1944) was actually a series of battles in which both sides exhibited courage and resourcefulness yet suffered from confusion born of poorly conceived command relationships and ineffective communications. Marked by awe-inspiring heroism, failed intelligence, brilliant deception, flawed strategy, effective tactical planning, great controversies, and a host of lessons learned, this gargantuan battle involved hundreds of ships, included nearly 200,000 participants, spanned more than 100,000 square miles, and resulted in the deaths of thousands of sailors from both sides. Every facet of naval warfare at the time was involved --air, surface, subsurface, amphibious, and --with the introduction of the kamikaze --a forerunner of guided missiles. It is clearly one of the great naval battles in history and has been the subject of countless books and articles in the 75 years since those massive fleets clashed in the Western Pacific.

In his introduction, Cutler contends that there are five elements that make this battle unique and of continuing interest to historians, buffs, and strategists. These elements are explained, reinforced, and enhanced by a number of original essays and by special selections from the Naval Institute's impressive archive. The eleven essays by eminent historians take new looks at various aspects of this complex and ultimately decisive battle, providing fresh insight and offering different perspectives that will answer some old questions and likely pose new ones. This enlightening retrospective collection is further enhanced by a selection of articles culled from the rich archive of the Naval Institute's Proceedings and Naval History magazines that have long sustained the debates and the lessons learned from this important historical event. The result is an edifying and entertaining volume that will not likely be the last on this important subject but serves as an important contribution to this evergreen topic.