In order to understand the operational and theater-strategic decisions made by Japanese and Allied commanders during the planning, preparation, and execution of the Leyte Operation, one must first understand the levels of war of which there are three. The three levels of war are strategic, operational, and tactical. In properly analyzing the posed question, I will expound on only the first two levels: strategic and operational. The strategic level of war focuses on defining and supporting national policy and relates directly to the outcome of a war or other conflict as a whole. The strategic level applies to all forms of war and conflict from military operations other than war (MOOTW) through insurgent, conventional, and nuclear warfare. …show more content…
The ensuing air-naval Battle of Leyte Gulf was the most critical moment of the campaign, and proved one of the most decisive actions of the Pacific war. Admiral Halsey’s fast carrier task forces operating in general support, not under MacArthur's control, and without consulting MacArthur or Kinkaid, pulled the bulk of his carrier forces northward to intercept part of the Japanese Fleet, leaving Leyte Gulf open to other Japanese Fleet units. Desperate action by Kinkaid's old battleships and escort carrier planes turned back the Japanese in the gulf, assuring the safety of the landing forces. It was a close call, clearly demonstrating the dangers of a divided command. In the end, however, the combined operations of Kinkaid's and Halsey's forces almost completely eliminated the Japanese Navy as a factor in the Pacific war. With the Leyte beaches secure, U.S. Army units proceeded to destroy the Japanese ground forces. In December the 77th Division executed an amphibious envelopment on Leyte's west coast, and by late December the Sixth Army had secured the most important sections of the island, those required for air and logistical