By the time of Leyte Gulf, Halsey was almost desperate for a major collision with the Japanese. William Halsey was an officer that was never accused of “lacking the fighting spirit”. Many in the Imperial Japanese Navy perceived this as weakness, and Kurita was often criticized for “lacking the fighting spirit”. Kurita was deliberate in battle, and took what he felt were reasonable precautions to minimize loss of life. Takeo Kurita, Ugaki’s boss at Leyte, did not anxiously await an honorable death. Ugaki, a true believer in bushido, the ancient Samurai code that had been twisted by Japanese militarists, looked forward to the day when he would die for the Emperor. Thomas briefly recounts the early lives of each man before delving into their respective military careers. Their enemies, Admiral William “Bull” Halsey and Commodore Ernest Evans shared a common desire to engage the enemy in decisive action, and both would get their chance at Leyte Gulf, with mixed results. Admirals Matome Ugaki and Takeo Kurita of the Imperial Japanese Navy both believed deeply in personal honor and duty, but held very different views as to what that meant in combat. He follows the paths of their service to the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944, where each will play a significant role. In Sea of Thunder, Evan Thomas examines the lives of four naval commanders of the Second World War, two Japanese and two American.
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