<prompt> Qedela lo musho olandelayo: Phakathi naleso sikhathi, umkhuzi wamabutho aseJapane wayeseqalise uhlelo lwakhe lokuvikela iPhilippines nge-Combined Fleet. Imikhumbi yempi yaseJapane yayihlelwe yaba amaqembu amane. Amandla asenyakatho akhiwa ezungeze abathwali bezindiza abasele be-Combined Fleet, manje abalahlekelwe yizindiza zabo zempi, futhi kwakufanele balinde njengento yokuyenga enyakatho yeLuzon. IJapane yayithemba ukuheha i-American Fast Carrier Task Force endaweni ekude ngokwanele ukusuka eLeyte Gulf ukuze ikwazi ukusebenza ngenkathi amanye amabutho amathathu oMbusi, ahlanganisa imikhumbi yempi yasemkhathini, aqothula imikhumbi yaseMelika esekela uMajor General Douglas MacArthurs beachhead eLeyte. Ngakho, babenethemba lokuthi bazomisa i-American  <response>: njengoba amasosha kaMacArthur ayebanjwe eBataan eminyakeni engaba mithathu ngaphambili. Amabutho anamandla kunalawo angaphezulu kwamanzi kwakufanele awele uLwandle iSibuyan, adlule eSan Bernardino Strait, bese ehla eLeyte Gulf evela enyakatho. Eminye emibili kwakufanele ivele eSurigao Strait futhi ihlasele abahlaseli baseLeyte Gulf bevela eningizimu. 