@Drachinifel When you story boyz can describe all of these individual ship's actions in one paragraph, then I'll know that watching a graphic representation of the battle has been displaced! 🤣👍 Keep the colorful explanations coming, though! 😂
USS Heermann, a destroyer, not taking any major damage after fighting FIVE BATTLESHIPS and burning the super structure of their lead, is a real life example of plot armor.
“…Until finally, the impossible happened. It was the one moment in our lives when he was not as strong as he believed and I was not as weak. It was the moment that made everything else possible.”
The timing of publishing this episode can't be more perfect. Less than 24 hours ago, SECNAV announced that one of future Arleigh Burke-class, the DDG-141, will be named USS Ernest E. Evans after USS Johnston's captain. She'll be the 2nd ship bearing the name after the first, Dealey-class destroyer escort (DE-1023).
Ok, I'm losing my mind. I thought they had already decided this months ago. Did I just happen to overhear it being the top choice of a list of proposed named, perhaps? I can't even find anything on Google. This doesn't feel like deja vu, either. Yeah, I think I lost my mind ...
Legend has it that during the battle the ghost of Admiral Nelson himself appeared on her bridge saying: "Splendid work lads", then pointed towards the Yamato and exclaimed: "Now bring me alongside her at pistol shot!"
USS Johnston: The destroyer that fought to the end. USS Samuel B. Roberts: The destroyer escort that fought like a battleship Taffy 3: The escort carrier group that fought like an armada
Doesn't sit quite right. Samuel B. Roberts is quite literally known as "The destroyer escort that fought like a battleship." You can't give the Johnston the same title, it just doesn't feel right. For one thing, it cheapens just how insanely the Roberts fought above its weight-class. For another, the Johnston clearly counts for at least 2 battleships.
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
The fact that there has never been a proper Battle off Samar movie is rather disappointing. This last stand is up there with Rorke's Drift as one of History's greatest. The events within are cinematic in scope, ships dancing through shell fire, rain storming everywhere, pilots making desperate impossible runs, the imperturbable Ernest Evans with his one liners...this is the kind of thing that would be perfect for a Hollywood war movie Maybe someday
Hollywood is incapable of making a good movie about this anyway, so it's just as well. Besides, it's so incredible that few people would believe it's a true story.
It’s kinda crazy, so many important and filmable things in the Pacific Theater but Hollywood would rather rehash the same tired Pearl Harbor-Midway arc for the ten gazillionth time
When I first heard this story, that was the only thing bouncing sound in my mind. It's so absolutely insane. I think Hollywood is too vein for such a movie, the script is already written better than anything they could write and they wouldn't get to have "creative license" with it so they ain't touching it. Sad hut ya know 🤷♀️😂
My cousin was a TBM radio operator on the Gambier Bay. He drew the short straw and was left on board while the Gambier Bay launched aircraft she could. He survived the sinking, but spent three days in the water while waiting rescue. Great video Ops Room. The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors is a great book on the exploits of Taffy 3.
My great uncle went down with Gambier Bay. A year later his widow married his brother, and a year after that my father was born. This battle is so bittersweet for me because without the terrible tragedy of the death of a brother and husband I wouldn't be here. Thank you for this.
If it's any consolation, dying in the Battle off Samar, in an escort carrier that was destroyed by a close-range shot from the world's largest battleship, is a pretty badass way to go.
The great sacrifice of the USS Johnston and HMS Glowworm are great stories and should be passed on through the generations. Great acts of bravery and courage. 🙏❤️
Same things goes for the British destroyers HMS Ardent and HMS Acasta. They could not save the carrier Glorious, but their sacrifice was not in vain. One of their torpedoes scored a direct hit on the battlecruiser Scharnhorst, causing 2 of its 3 engines to shut down, killing 53 german sailors, and forced the germans to retreat back to Trondheim, leaving the seas open for the allied evacuation convoy which left northern Norway the very next day, carrying approx. 25 000 allied soldiers.
I'm convinced that to be a US destroyer skipper in WWII you had to be more than a little bit crazy. It's like they went to elementary schools and picked out the kids who got in the most playground fistfights and groomed them to command destroyers.
@@wolfu597 Same goes for the bismarck, a german battleship fighting a superior force and destroying HMS Hood should we add more ships? can we name them all? is this whole thread idiotic?
Tragically, many of the men who successfully abandoned their ships died of wounds and exposure in the water over the next several days, as search and rescue was neglected. Far from forgotten, the ships and sailors of Taffy 3 have been memorialized by the Navy, with two ships named after Ernest Evans, two more named after Samuel B. Roberts, (himself a heroic sailor killed in action at Guadalcanal) one for Gunner’s Mate Carr, one for Cdr Copeland, a replacement Johnston, and a replacement Hoel.
I feel terrible for those men. Died horribly at sea, after those unbelievable acts of bravery. Never knowing the recognition & rewards they would have gotten for it. :(
I really appreciated the chronology of all the moving parts of this part of the battle. I was unaware of how disorganized the Japanese battle line was or how impactful the air cover actually was. Everything makes a lot more sense now.
@wordsshackles441 There is a ton of proof contradicting your statements however. It is well known that during this time, very few japanese ships were equipped with radar, so they had to use colored shells in order to aim, compared to America's extensive use of radar at this time. Additionally, the Japanese account of this event is also rather similar. If you're going to bring up crackpot theories, then at least provide evidence.
It's worth noting that vets of the Hoel and Heerman (at least according to Hornfischer's book iirc) feel a little underappreciated compared to how everyone lionizes the USS Johnston & Samuel B. Roberts & their crews. Given how the USS Heerman went after 5 battleships and came out somehow unscathed while setting one of them on fire while the Hoel was instrumental in helping keep the IJN Yamato in "DODGING TORPEDOS: PLEASE HOLD" mode instead of allowing it to get into 'turn US ships into burning hulks' range, I can understand the gripes they had (especially the Hoel's survivors, given their ship _sunk_ defending Taffy 3).
My great uncle Edmund was one of the 253 men to go down with the Hoel. I got to meet the remaining survivors at a reunion in the year 2000. I heard their incredible individual stories firsthand but I never knew the details of the battle until today. Thank you.
Much respect to your late uncle. I became a US citizen on November 2nd 2023, in the speech, the aid to the governor of Oklahoma gave a speech that said, "I'm here because someone else is not". Lets just say that I cried during the entire speech. I dont cry but that got me hard. I served in the Navy on the USS Carr FFG-52, named after Paul H. Carr who died during this battle, thank you so much
Reading this from our history book, hearing this from our lectures… as a Filipino, I can definitely say that our books and lectures didn't give justice to this historical event. It's a pivotal event and yet, all I heard and read was that "This is the greatest naval battle of all time." This video helps me piece all the pieces and see the entire picture. Those valiant people made me really want to cry on how they're willing to go to such lengths and turn around that battle. I heart fully thank you for giving justice to this masterpiece!
In defense of Kurita, his armada had been at general quarters for 3 days, the admiral had his flagship torpedoed and sunk on the first day and had been forced to swim for his life. They had lost Musashi the day before and I believe they were out of anti-aircraft ammunition or close to it. Those men were at the end of their ability to fight. Kurita himself was probably in a borrowed uniform this day.
A major problem with any defense of Kurita, is that the IJN knew this was make or break for them. If they didn't manage to inflict a severe loss on the USN and US Army at Leyte, their fleet was doomed to either rot at anchor from lack of fuel or be picked off from the air. This was a battle where retreat wasn't an option. Due to the layout of the Phillipines, there was no other island where their surface warships would be able to close the distance with the USN. The fact Kurita didn't even attempt to try to shell the landing area or the transports, shows what a complete and utter failure the battle was for him.
@@EliteF22 Even if Kurita pressed on, it wouldn’t have changed anything. At best he would’ve gone down under an anvil-and-hammer from Halsey to the north (especially Mitscher’s carriers) and Oldendorf to the south, and sacrificed the tens of thousands of men under his command just to delay American reconquest of the Philippines by a few months. He was aware further sacrifice wouldn’t achieve anything in the long run, and that more bloodshed would just encourage the US to impose a heavier price for victory when that came.
It is quite likely that Kurita was suffering a mild concussion as a result of the Atago's sinking (hence why he continued to fail to recognize that no, those were not Halsey's carriers he was looking at), which likely affected his ability to focus properly on the task at hand.
I’m so glad you mentioned the Japanese sailors saluting the crew of the USS Johnston as they passed by. Many documentaries do not mention this. I find it fascinating that the enemy salutes them but it’s not unheard of especially when considering that the Japanese thought it dishonorable to surrender to the enemy. They witnessed how unwavering and determined the crew of the USS Johnston was to stay in the fight even as she was heavily damaged but still throwing everything she had at them, and in honorable fashion gave the crew a salute, and honoring them as a worthy opponent. It’s actually quite humbling. Edit: I do apologize for the duplicated comments, my phone does this sometimes 😂.
@@CaffeinePanda Makes sense that her crew would respect a destroyer that held out and fought for so long, especially since so many Japanese destroyers were sunk throughout the war.
The fact it's not mentioned more often is more infuriating when you consider how the Imperial Japanese Army (who were the allies/rivals/mortal enemies of the IJN leading up to/during the War) was going on and on about how cowardly the Americans were for surrendering again and again. Granted, the IJN had seen this firsthand as well. So to see _an entire ship_ straight up banzai charge the Center Force (which included the IJN's pride the Yamato) and fighting as long as it could was definitely something any serviceman of the IJN would find worth saluting.
@Th3M4k40n teachers make it boring. They just skim over everything and make us assignments answering questions about whatever history your learning about
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
You can probably find the exact battle logs online, from both the Japanese and American perspectives. Also, it's well in the realm of possibility for the USS Johnston to survive for as long as she did - she's a far smaller target, able to easily outmaneuver the Japanese ships. These Japanese ships were made to aim at other behemoths of the same size, not at some tiny destroyer erratically zigzagging through the water. It seems your only warranting for your claim is that you don't believe the Japanese weren't able to sink the Johnston faster, so I'll leave it at that. @@wordsshackles441
Ultimately, another factor for IJN losing the battle was human factor. At Surigao Strait Shima retreated instead of helping Nishimura fleet partly due to his personal issues with Nishimura, and at Samar Kurita was very tired and worn out after a few very long days including he having to swim for his life after Atago sank and endured big battles with Musashi and many others sank, and he was not very keen to fight on after encountering a seem to be large fleet Taffy 3.
Kurita's incompetence was astonishing. Of course, that's easy to say now from a comfortable chair in 2023, but even so, he really worked hard to lose that fightl.
Having a strategy based on winning a decisive naval battle against the USN but acting incredibly risk averse in almost all situations so as to avoid a decisive naval battle? Typical IJN admiralty
@@BoxStudioExecutive I'm not getting it. Their deception plan to lure away Halsey worked. They faced only a relatively modest TF3. All Kurita had to do is execute the goddam plan.
@@Martinit0 not that modest. all the taffys put together could put up a bigger swarm of attack planes bigger than the one that bombed pearl. CF wouldn't have lasted much longer once those fly boys landed and rearmed properly. if kurita believed he was facing halsey's fleet carriers, he had good reason to.
I'm a USN veteran, and whenever I hear or read about the story of Taffy 3 it is always very moving and fills me with immense pride. Thank you Ops Room for telling this story with such accuracy and detail.
I've been looking forward to this video, a battle that is the truest definition of David tossing a rock at Goliath. The Johnston and the Samuel B Roberts didn't sink due to shelling, but from the massive weight of the balls on their crews. And as for hitting 1mil subs, you've earned it Operations Room, your videos are consistently of top quality and truly riveting storytelling. I'm here for the long haul with you.
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
Good timing, SECNAV announced DDG-141 USS Ernest E. Evans just yesterday! Finally we get a destroyer named after one of the best and most badass destroyer captains in naval history.
I just want to say thank you for this. My Great Uncle was on the Johnston during this and this is how he was KIA. I'm so glad I could get a visualization to see how brave a valient they fought and knowing they didn't give up without a fight. This means alot!
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
You guys seriously deserve the success you have. Your team does a great job and I've learned a lot about various world conflicts I would have known little to nothing about otherwise.
The first I'm hearing about Taffy 2 withdrawalin unscathed. The men overboard were left there an inexcusable amount of time too. Excellent briefing. Thank you.
I often like to make a distinction between things I consider to be my favorite, and things I consider to be the best. This channel is the perfect intersection of both in terms of the topics and stories they tell and the quality of the animations and research.
Couple minor corrections. Takao Kurita was a Vice Admiral by the time of this battle, not a Rear Admiral. And while St. Lo was the first major U.S. warship sunk by kamikazes this wasn’t the first time the tactic had been used as Taffy 1 had been fighting off kamikazes most of the morning. Taffy 1 was also commanded by a Thomas Sprague (no relation to Clifton “Ziggy” Sprague) and he was the overall leader of the Taffies.
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
I had a bit of a back and forth on the subject with Drachnifel, and when I asked him to reveal his sources, he vaguely pointed me towards the 'Senshi Sosho - volume 41' that treats the Battles of Leyte. He eventually admitted that since he cannot read Japanese, he 'got help' from some Japanese friends. I repeatedly asked him to point me towards the actual section of the volume relative to the battle of Samar and any section that may contain a trace of the spectacular and improbable maneuvers of the three destroyers, but he just vaguely pointed me towards Volume 41. He was incapable of linking me towards the actual page or section of the volume, despite being freely accessible on the NDIS library online. Now that's a fact, I am not making this up. Look, I can respect the nice animations and entertainment value, but the fact is that these guys are not researchers, they are passionate individuals that vaguely regurgitate and vulgarize the allied accounting of the events. They are effective echo chambers of the perceived consensus at best. They say that truth is the first casualty of war,, and history is written by the winners, well you better believe it. Since all the volumes of the Senshi Sosho are freely accessible online now, I am trying to find a reference to these maneuvers, if you are interested, I can get back to you on that. It will take some time though. If not I will leave you alone. PS : Here's an interesting passage on Wikipedia about the Senshi Sosho : 'The history, comprising 102 volumes, the first of which was published in 1966 and the final one in 1980, was compiled from Imperial Japanese Army, Imperial Japanese Navy, other Japanese government records, and personal diaries and records which survived Japan's defeat in the war. Many of the records were initially confiscated by Allied governments, mainly the United States, but were returned to Japan in 1958. One of the many perks of being on the winning side is that you get to confiscate your defeated enemies account of the war for 13 years no less (Ask yourself why), and hand it back to them in whatever trim you so wish.@@warwatcher91
My grandfather was on the Leyte beach during this time. I may not be alive if it weren’t for the bravery of these sailors. Thank you for sharing their story.
Amazing the volume of 5" fire these destroyers could put out in a short period of time, and accurate too. Also, now I want to learn more about the skipper of Yukikaze.
The 5"/38 was the best dual purpose weapon ever made. it was a big reason why US destroyers were so effective combined with excellent fire control. Even earlier in the war when the us took a lot of losses it was rare for a us destroyer to be outgunned by the enemy. Instead it was torpedo based engagements where the Japanese held a massive advantage.
To say that all of those American sailors showed true conspicuous gallantry is an understatement. Unreal bravery and courage in the face of unfathomable odds
I like to think this was the battle besides Midway and the Guadalcanal naval battles that finally gave the United States Navy a badge to be the worthy successor of the Royal Navy.
Thank you, I've seen several good documentaries on the Battle Off Samar, but these maps finally helped me understand Admiral Kurita's decision to withdraw. Center Force had become scattered and disorganized over a wide combat zone making it highly vulnerable to a counterattack - a counterattack he couldn't rule out given the limited information available. If any frontline USN task forces had suddenly appeared on the scene, the IJN would have been massacred. It makes a lot more sense than "Oh, he lost his nerve and quit."
The man had also not slept in days and been forced to swim for his life after his previous flagship had been sunk, watched one of his superbattleships burn and probably suffered a concussion. When one comparezs his post-battle reports to those of other officers, it's quite clear his mind wasn't clear - the only reason he even knew he was fighting carriers is because he recognized the "starboard side superstructure". Kurita was also fatalist and believed (rightfully) the war was long lost anddid not believe in wasting the lives of the tens of thousands of men he had. with or without hindsight, that seems pretty respectble. I doubt Center Force could have escaped unscathed.
If you imagine the Battle off Samar as a bar room brawl, USS Johnston is basically that one guy who goes around and punches everyone else in the face, at least once, and then goes on to the next guy.
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
@@wordsshackles441I feel like this is insulting to the time channels like OR spend researching these and vastly underestimate how hard it is to aim a battleship's, or even heavy cruiser's, guns. They're a tiny ship up to 3 kilometers away making wild manoeuvres at high speeds against slow firing, very inaccurate, high dispersion guns. With how fraught the Japanese crews were before the battle (the captain himself had had to swim off his sinking flagship just before the battle, and the crews had been on general quarters for 3 days). A destroyer's speed is their protection and destroyers are the direct counter to battleship's and heavy cruisers because of the disparity in guns. + Both sides have records of this battle.
I had a bit of a back and forth on the subject with Drachnifel, and when I asked him to reveal his sources, he vaguely pointed me towards the 'Senshi Sosho - volume 41' that treats the Battles of Leyte. He eventually admitted that since he cannot read Japanese, he 'got help' from some Japanese friends. I repeatedly asked him to point me towards the actual section of the volume relative to the battle of Samar and any section that may contain a trace of the spectacular and improbable maneuvers of the three destroyers, but he just vaguely pointed me towards Volume 41. He was incapable of linking me towards the actual page or section of the volume, despite being freely accessible on the NDIS library online. Now that's a fact, I am not making this up. Look, I can respect the nice animations and entertainment value, but the fact is that these guys are not researchers, they are passionate individuals that vaguely regurgitate and vulgarize the allied accounting of the events. They are effective echo chambers of the perceived consensus at best. They say that truth is the first casualty of war,, and history is written by the winners, well you better believe it. Since all the volumes of the Senshi Sosho are freely accessible online now, I am trying to find a reference to these maneuvers, if you are interested, I can get back to you on that. It will take some time though. If not I will leave you alone. PS : Here's an interesting passage on Wikipedia about the Senshi Sosho : 'The history, comprising 102 volumes, the first of which was published in 1966 and the final one in 1980, was compiled from Imperial Japanese Army, Imperial Japanese Navy, other Japanese government records, and personal diaries and records which survived Japan's defeat in the war. Many of the records were initially confiscated by Allied governments, mainly the United States, but were returned to Japan in 1958. One of the many perks of being on the winning side is that you get to confiscate your defeated enemies account of the war for 13 years no less (Ask yourself why), and hand it back to them in whatever trim you so wish.@@cookiecraze1310
I cannot read or hear the story of Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Paul H. Carr without tearing up. This is a battle that just arrests me with awe for what these sailors did when the impossible was asked of them. Thank you @TheOperationsRoom for retelling it so well.
The fact that Halsey got away with his screw up because of those sailors sacrifice it’s infuriating to say the least, abandoning the mission pretty much.
@@DarthV3622Fkm i will take Spruance over that overrated bull any time, at least he would have stayed in the operation zone and get the job properly, the Americans had the perfect defensive formation in the battle just for halsey to screw the entire northern flank just because he wanted his own midway.
Well the thing is Halsey was a aggressive go getter which is a good thing for him to have earlier in war but being too aggressive can get you in trouble as well. The Japanese were aware that Halsey was daring and not afraid to take risks but in this battle it worked against him. It’s good to be aggressive but you also have to know when to do nothing like in here. Just protect the landing fleet and do nothing more.
@@dimasgirl2749 yea the Japanese decoy was not out of nowhere. They were fully aware that Halsey was a daring and risk taker man and they calculated that he would blunder and he did but lucky the amercian small fleet caused problems for the Japanese attack navy
What more can I say than what has already been said? Great job again good sir! Ive read Hornfishers book a couple of times and I always tear up because of the sheer amount of courage it takes to do what those legends did. We salute those who gave their lives.
You guys did the best jam on TH-cam of reporting history how it happened without a slant or bias in any direction. Your research is second to none and I greatly appreciate your hard work. It does show.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf is such an incredible dramatic story especially the Battle off Samar chapter. I have read a couple of books on the battle and parts have always been confusing. Thank you Operations Room for another excellent set of videos!
My Great Uncle Glen fought on the USS Johnston. This is the best video of the battle that I’ve found. I’m going to share it with the rest of my family. Well done 👍
Congratulations on hitting the 1M mark! One of the best military history channels anywhere. I’ve been a WW2 history buff for a long time but this is the first time I’ve heard details about this battle. It should be talked about alongside Midway and Coral Sea, especially because of the actions of those destroyers.
Ever since I first started following this channel, this is the exact battle and animation I have been waiting for! It's amazing to see how far you have come in that time since!
You have probably become my favorite channel on all of YT. I follow all of major YT history channels and most of the mid-size and many smaller less known ones as well but your videos just stand out so much from all other history channels. When your videos covering the Gulf War first came out I was blown away by how good they were and I still am to this day. I still watch those videos you made now from time to time. I can rewatch your videos multiple times, they are just so good. My favorite series of videos you guys have done are the Gulf War videos followed by your WW2 videos on the Battle of the Bulge and the Pacific War in WW2. I'd love to see you guys cover the Iraq War of 2003 (second Gulf War). It would be a great follow-up to your most successful video series. It would of course be shorter but it would be a great comparison on how even more modern warfare is fought. Especially in comparison to what Russia has tried to do within Ukraine over the last 2 years now. I'd be interested seeing you cover WW1, the US Civil War, the Spanish American War, Russo-Japanese War and the Crimean War. They would be a bit further in the past than you are used to covering but they all kind of fall in that area of warfare where it adapts from line fighting to more modern warfare. Maybe you don't cover them in small individual soldier to soldier detail like you have done for some of your videos. But covering them at the individual company or battalion level would be pretty cool I think (maybe regiment level for WW1). But regardless, just keep up the great work! Your videos are just so amaziling good!
Another fun fact about this battle. It also has the deepest shipwreck ever Identified at almost 23,000 feet! One of the little heroes Samuel b Roberts.
We were going over our family’s roles in WW2 and it turns out a classmates great grandpa was the one who found the fleet originally when he was told to check the radar
I had "World Wars I & II" in 11th grade & been hooked ever since. You say something rarely mentioned and I'm very appreciative of it~ the Japanese destroyer's salute. What an honor! A surreal moment to be sure, but it's perhaps the best measure of the Fighting Spirit, when coming from a military culture. Awesome movie & bonus points for the extra mile research!👍😎
I read the story of Taffy 3 in my Blue Jackets manual at boot camp. Knowing that I was becoming a (very small) part of that same legacy instilled a bit of pride in me that still hasn't left. Absolute Legends.
Evans was taken by the Valkyries... That's why he was there one moment and gone the next. Amazing telling of this story by the Operations Room. I also highly recommend "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" by James Hornfischer (RIP)
I like to think his was a case similar to that of Feanor in "The Simarillion", namely his fiery spirit was so strong it incinerated his body as it departed.
I was especially pleased to see that you included the more recent and most likely theory behind how Chōkai was fatally wounded. Congrats on 1 million subs! You deserve it!
I hope you are feeling better, sending best wishes for a speedy recovery from the illness. Thank you for your dedication to us to work trough this sickness
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
@@afroking2448 I had a bit of a back and forth on the subject with Drachnifel, and when I asked him to reveal his sources, he vaguely pointed me towards the 'Senshi Sosho - volume 41' that treats the Battles of Leyte. He eventually admitted that since he cannot read Japanese, he 'got help' from some Japanese friends. I repeatedly asked him to point me towards the actual section of the volume relative to the battle of Samar and any section that may contain a trace of the spectacular and improbable maneuvers of the three destroyers, but he just vaguely pointed me towards Volume 41. He was incapable of linking me towards the actual page or section of the volume, despite being freely accessible on the NDIS library online. Now that's a fact, I am not making this up. Look, I can respect the nice animations and entertainment value, but the fact is that these guys are not researchers, they are passionate individuals that vaguely regurgitate and vulgarize the allied accounting of the events. They are effective echo chambers of the perceived consensus at best. They say that truth is the first casualty of war,, and history is written by the winners, well you better believe it. Since all the volumes of the Senshi Sosho are freely accessible online now, I am trying to find a reference to these maneuvers, if you are interested, I can get back to you on that. It will take some time though. If not I will leave you alone. PS : Here's an interesting passage on Wikipedia about the Senshi Sosho : 'The history, comprising 102 volumes, the first of which was published in 1966 and the final one in 1980, was compiled from Imperial Japanese Army, Imperial Japanese Navy, other Japanese government records, and personal diaries and records which survived Japan's defeat in the war. Many of the records were initially confiscated by Allied governments, mainly the United States, but were returned to Japan in 1958. One of the many perks of being on the winning side is that you get to confiscate your defeated enemies account of the war for 13 years no less (Ask yourself why), and hand it back to them in whatever trim you so wish
Your videos are excellent! Thank you for sharing these videos and providing those brave men and women who served and died in these battles an opportunity to be remembered in a unique manner.
I want to congratulate all members of The Operations Room for the best depiction of wartime engagements available on the Internet. You do a superb job.
My first knowledge of this battle was on the History Channel “dogfights” and they only showed a snap shot of this epic battle. Thank you so much for all your hard work in covering this topic. Any plans on talking about the decision makings of all admirals on both sides on the Intel Report? I know many people criticize Halsey and Koreta for their actions on that day, but I believe people are missing the bigger picture which is worth talking about.
Check Montemayor channel as he does videos from each sides perspective and the decisions they need to make. Gives a little insight to the "fog of war". Not sure if he did one for Leyte but his Midway videos and others are superb.
Excellent perspective on the position of the two forces. I thought I had read a lot about this engagement but your graphics really show the chaos and bravery of the commanders involved.
Love watching your guys videos and even got my father who was in the 101st during the first Gulf War interested in watching. Are you guys able to cover the second gulf war in 2003 against the Iraqi Army? Topics like the famed Thunder Run by the 3rd ID, or the coverage of PFC Jessica Lynch and how her convoy was attacked and then her rescue? What about anything from Panama or Bosina?
Hi Operation Room, is it possible you could put the naval battles of ww2 in chronological order? Like a playlist I could watch. That would be very cool. Thanks for your work and entertainment as always.
@@AmericanIdiot7659 you seem to be well named... he'd have to watch every episode again to see which fits where which sort of defeats the purpose doesn't it? I would appreciate a history course by theatre as well. It wouldn't be in order of interest perhaps but it would be an important record for those kids in the future who wouldn't get this information from school.
It’s a shame that not just these but all other educational videos get demonetised because not going to lie, I’d like to watch these sort of things and know that even if I don’t have the money to support you I still can help through ad revenue. Been watching since 2020 and not once have I regretted it!
This is the best video on your channel , arguably the best in version of this story. I would say its similar to early ken burns films 🎥 the way he weaved the narrative around the theme of the story, purposely restricting visual and audible effects makes the viewer use their own imagination to visualize and relate to the characters in a more intimate way, I think you do this with the way you setup the narrative and animation timing with the soft flat background music and voice audio. Very satisfying but not overwhelming 👌🏼
Commander Evan's last seen battling the enemy and leading his men bare chested. This needs a full movie. I remain convinced there is an afterlife where Evan's can continue to fight with the spirit of Johnston. They were escort ships but fought as capital ships.
If you look at photos of Johnston’s wreck, all her remaining guns from the 5-inchers to the 20mms are still trained out to starboard. The old girl went down swinging.
This has become one of my lifetime favorite TH-cam channels. Not even the classic 1980s channels with their amazing coverage of post 9/11 conflicts could hold my attention like this. :) ... but seriously you guys are fantastic. This is better than watching most big budget war movies.
I absolutely love your videos. Thank you for preserving these historic battles with the level of respect you have given them. I personally thank you for all you do!
hey operatons room! just wanted to thank you for the work you've done. I've been subscribed since your first videos and I am so happy for you 1m sub accomplishment. You truly deserve it. Please, keep it up!
I just caught up with this series, and I was completely hooked, and then I was suddenly disappointed when this part wasn’t out yet. I am extremely happy that I caught up to it at just the right time.
![กี่หมื่นฟ้า | Your Sky Series EP.1 [2/4]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qJbQs_nhjD4/mqdefault.jpg)
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 87 วันนี้!! คู่เอก "ก้องชัย vs โชคปรีชา"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YN6e7HVnekw/mqdefault.jpg)
Animation game staying strong :)
Thanks Alex!
Hi Mr Drach!
Come to the ranch here in Texas. I have a few rifles with fun switches for you to play with.
am i wrong in assuming that Drach is the King of the Boat People?
@Drachinifel When you story boyz can describe all of these individual ship's actions in one paragraph, then I'll know that watching a graphic representation of the battle has been displaced!
🤣👍
Keep the colorful explanations coming, though!
😂
@@TheOperationsRoomAnother battle you should do is the Legend of Y29 during Operation Bodenplatte.
USS Heermann, a destroyer, not taking any major damage after fighting FIVE BATTLESHIPS and burning the super structure of their lead, is a real life example of plot armor.
TWICE! the madlads did it TWICE
"That was the moment where the Heermann decied that they were, in fact, the main character."
“…Until finally, the impossible happened. It was the one moment in our lives when he was not as strong as he believed and I was not as weak. It was the moment that made everything else possible.”
USS Heermann armour:
19 mm steel
10000 mm plot
You'd think it would make for a great movie but they'll probably just make another pearl harbor... 😖
The timing of publishing this episode can't be more perfect. Less than 24 hours ago, SECNAV announced that one of future Arleigh Burke-class, the DDG-141, will be named USS Ernest E. Evans after USS Johnston's captain. She'll be the 2nd ship bearing the name after the first, Dealey-class destroyer escort (DE-1023).
They should name a goddamn fleet carrier after him, Christ what an amazing display of seamanship
@@madijeis4320 Evans was a 'TIN CAN' MAN of action!
Ok, I'm losing my mind. I thought they had already decided this months ago. Did I just happen to overhear it being the top choice of a list of proposed named, perhaps? I can't even find anything on Google. This doesn't feel like deja vu, either. Yeah, I think I lost my mind ...
Outstanding.
@@ShimrraJamaane go to the Wikipedia page, List of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers all the way to the bottom.
As a wise man once said, had the Johnston not sunk, it would've rammed the Yamato and her crew would commence boarding actions
No doubt! Evans would have led the boarding party himself with an officers sidearm
I can totally picture him saying "Grab your rifles grab your pistols and grab your knuckle breakers boys were going aboard!!!"
@@krispypriest5116FORWARD MEN! (Reminds me of Lt Irving from The Terror S1).
a wise man?
you mean an idiotic boaster - like those 14 year olds in the school cafeteria
Legend has it that during the battle the ghost of Admiral Nelson himself appeared on her bridge saying: "Splendid work lads", then pointed towards the Yamato and exclaimed: "Now bring me alongside her at pistol shot!"
USS Johnston: The destroyer that fought to the end.
USS Samuel B. Roberts: The destroyer escort that fought like a battleship
Taffy 3: The escort carrier group that fought like an armada
ORP Piorun. A pain in the ass for a BB.
USS Heermann: The destroyer with plot armor
"And won"
Doesn't sit quite right. Samuel B. Roberts is quite literally known as "The destroyer escort that fought like a battleship." You can't give the Johnston the same title, it just doesn't feel right.
For one thing, it cheapens just how insanely the Roberts fought above its weight-class.
For another, the Johnston clearly counts for at least 2 battleships.
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
The fact that there has never been a proper Battle off Samar movie is rather disappointing. This last stand is up there with Rorke's Drift as one of History's greatest. The events within are cinematic in scope, ships dancing through shell fire, rain storming everywhere, pilots making desperate impossible runs, the imperturbable Ernest Evans with his one liners...this is the kind of thing that would be perfect for a Hollywood war movie
Maybe someday
Hollywood is incapable of making a good movie about this anyway, so it's just as well. Besides, it's so incredible that few people would believe it's a true story.
It’s kinda crazy, so many important and filmable things in the Pacific Theater but Hollywood would rather rehash the same tired Pearl Harbor-Midway arc for the ten gazillionth time
@@andrewzheng4038 And every time they redo Pearl or Midway they make it worse.
@@RCAvhstape Fact!!
When I first heard this story, that was the only thing bouncing sound in my mind. It's so absolutely insane. I think Hollywood is too vein for such a movie, the script is already written better than anything they could write and they wouldn't get to have "creative license" with it so they ain't touching it. Sad hut ya know 🤷♀️😂
My cousin was a TBM radio operator on the Gambier Bay. He drew the short straw and was left on board while the Gambier Bay launched aircraft she could. He survived the sinking, but spent three days in the water while waiting rescue. Great video Ops Room. The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors is a great book on the exploits of Taffy 3.
My great uncle went down with Gambier Bay. A year later his widow married his brother, and a year after that my father was born. This battle is so bittersweet for me because without the terrible tragedy of the death of a brother and husband I wouldn't be here. Thank you for this.
If it's any consolation, dying in the Battle off Samar, in an escort carrier that was destroyed by a close-range shot from the world's largest battleship, is a pretty badass way to go.
The great sacrifice of the USS Johnston and HMS Glowworm are great stories and should be passed on through the generations. Great acts of bravery and courage. 🙏❤️
Same things goes for the British destroyers HMS Ardent and HMS Acasta.
They could not save the carrier Glorious, but their sacrifice was not in vain. One of their torpedoes scored a direct hit on the battlecruiser Scharnhorst, causing 2 of its 3 engines to shut down, killing 53 german sailors, and forced the germans to retreat back to Trondheim, leaving the seas open for the allied evacuation convoy which left northern Norway the very next day, carrying approx. 25 000 allied soldiers.
Hoel and Samuel B Roberts don't forget them.
In fact, Samuel B Roberts is titled a 'Destroyers escort that fought like a battleship'!
I'm convinced that to be a US destroyer skipper in WWII you had to be more than a little bit crazy. It's like they went to elementary schools and picked out the kids who got in the most playground fistfights and groomed them to command destroyers.
@@wolfu597
Same goes for the bismarck, a german battleship fighting a superior force and destroying HMS Hood
should we add more ships?
can we name them all?
is this whole thread idiotic?
@@XingmeyWe're talking about the little guys, not the big ones
Tragically, many of the men who successfully abandoned their ships died of wounds and exposure in the water over the next several days, as search and rescue was neglected.
Far from forgotten, the ships and sailors of Taffy 3 have been memorialized by the Navy, with two ships named after Ernest Evans, two more named after Samuel B. Roberts, (himself a heroic sailor killed in action at Guadalcanal) one for Gunner’s Mate Carr, one for Cdr Copeland, a replacement Johnston, and a replacement Hoel.
I feel terrible for those men.
Died horribly at sea, after those unbelievable acts of bravery. Never knowing the recognition & rewards they would have gotten for it. :(
I really appreciated the chronology of all the moving parts of this part of the battle.
I was unaware of how disorganized the Japanese battle line was or how impactful the air cover actually was.
Everything makes a lot more sense now.
@wordsshackles441 There is a ton of proof contradicting your statements however. It is well known that during this time, very few japanese ships were equipped with radar, so they had to use colored shells in order to aim, compared to America's extensive use of radar at this time. Additionally, the Japanese account of this event is also rather similar. If you're going to bring up crackpot theories, then at least provide evidence.
It's worth noting that vets of the Hoel and Heerman (at least according to Hornfischer's book iirc) feel a little underappreciated compared to how everyone lionizes the USS Johnston & Samuel B. Roberts & their crews.
Given how the USS Heerman went after 5 battleships and came out somehow unscathed while setting one of them on fire while the Hoel was instrumental in helping keep the IJN Yamato in "DODGING TORPEDOS: PLEASE HOLD" mode instead of allowing it to get into 'turn US ships into burning hulks' range, I can understand the gripes they had (especially the Hoel's survivors, given their ship _sunk_ defending Taffy 3).
My great uncle Edmund was one of the 253 men to go down with the Hoel. I got to meet the remaining survivors at a reunion in the year 2000. I heard their incredible individual stories firsthand but I never knew the details of the battle until today. Thank you.
Much respect to your late uncle. I became a US citizen on November 2nd 2023, in the speech, the aid to the governor of Oklahoma gave a speech that said, "I'm here because someone else is not". Lets just say that I cried during the entire speech. I dont cry but that got me hard. I served in the Navy on the USS Carr FFG-52, named after Paul H. Carr who died during this battle, thank you so much
Thank you for your service, and lest we forget
“We’re almost into 40mm range” is hilarious
Oh, come on, that's not nearly as funny as *"GODDAMMIT, BOYS, THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!"*
Reading this from our history book, hearing this from our lectures… as a Filipino, I can definitely say that our books and lectures didn't give justice to this historical event. It's a pivotal event and yet, all I heard and read was that "This is the greatest naval battle of all time."
This video helps me piece all the pieces and see the entire picture. Those valiant people made me really want to cry on how they're willing to go to such lengths and turn around that battle. I heart fully thank you for giving justice to this masterpiece!
In defense of Kurita, his armada had been at general quarters for 3 days, the admiral had his flagship torpedoed and sunk on the first day and had been forced to swim for his life. They had lost Musashi the day before and I believe they were out of anti-aircraft ammunition or close to it. Those men were at the end of their ability to fight. Kurita himself was probably in a borrowed uniform this day.
I think he’d also heard news about the Southern Force’s destruction around the time he made the decision to withdraw.
A major problem with any defense of Kurita, is that the IJN knew this was make or break for them. If they didn't manage to inflict a severe loss on the USN and US Army at Leyte, their fleet was doomed to either rot at anchor from lack of fuel or be picked off from the air. This was a battle where retreat wasn't an option. Due to the layout of the Phillipines, there was no other island where their surface warships would be able to close the distance with the USN. The fact Kurita didn't even attempt to try to shell the landing area or the transports, shows what a complete and utter failure the battle was for him.
He's an admiral, making good decisions in a bad situation is his only job.
@@EliteF22 Even if Kurita pressed on, it wouldn’t have changed anything. At best he would’ve gone down under an anvil-and-hammer from Halsey to the north (especially Mitscher’s carriers) and Oldendorf to the south, and sacrificed the tens of thousands of men under his command just to delay American reconquest of the Philippines by a few months. He was aware further sacrifice wouldn’t achieve anything in the long run, and that more bloodshed would just encourage the US to impose a heavier price for victory when that came.
It is quite likely that Kurita was suffering a mild concussion as a result of the Atago's sinking (hence why he continued to fail to recognize that no, those were not Halsey's carriers he was looking at), which likely affected his ability to focus properly on the task at hand.
I’m so glad you mentioned the Japanese sailors saluting the crew of the USS Johnston as they passed by. Many documentaries do not mention this.
I find it fascinating that the enemy salutes them but it’s not unheard of especially when considering that the Japanese thought it dishonorable to surrender to the enemy.
They witnessed how unwavering and determined the crew of the USS Johnston was to stay in the fight even as she was heavily damaged but still throwing everything she had at them, and in honorable fashion gave the crew a salute, and honoring them as a worthy opponent. It’s actually quite humbling.
Edit: I do apologize for the duplicated comments, my phone does this sometimes 😂.
How fitting that those sailors were from Yukikaze, Japan’s own famous destroyer.
@@hourlardnsaver362 Game recognize game.
@@CaffeinePanda Makes sense that her crew would respect a destroyer that held out and fought for so long, especially since so many Japanese destroyers were sunk throughout the war.
The fact it's not mentioned more often is more infuriating when you consider how the Imperial Japanese Army (who were the allies/rivals/mortal enemies of the IJN leading up to/during the War) was going on and on about how cowardly the Americans were for surrendering again and again. Granted, the IJN had seen this firsthand as well.
So to see _an entire ship_ straight up banzai charge the Center Force (which included the IJN's pride the Yamato) and fighting as long as it could was definitely something any serviceman of the IJN would find worth saluting.
@@internetzenmaster8952 I know that’s right.
17:45 is very important. "Oh, and also American planes show up and knock out two Heavy Cruisers" cannot be understated.
Avengers avenging.
U.S. AIR POWER ON TOP RAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH 🦅🦅🦅🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥
The fact that this channel has only just now hit 1 million subs is proof that quality historical content like this is criminally underrated.
Gambia Bay: "We are under attack, please help!"
Taffy 2: "k"
*fucks off*
They still got the planes in the air
And people say history is boring lmao
@Th3M4k40n teachers make it boring. They just skim over everything and make us assignments answering questions about whatever history your learning about
I would’ve been so pissed if I was on the Gambier Bay. Not only did Halsey abandon them, but Taffy 2 did so as well.
i truly despise admiral halsey. way more than is rational for a ww2 admiral who is looooong gone by now.
The fact that we get this kind of content for free is crazy
shut up
Shhhhh
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
You can probably find the exact battle logs online, from both the Japanese and American perspectives. Also, it's well in the realm of possibility for the USS Johnston to survive for as long as she did - she's a far smaller target, able to easily outmaneuver the Japanese ships. These Japanese ships were made to aim at other behemoths of the same size, not at some tiny destroyer erratically zigzagging through the water. It seems your only warranting for your claim is that you don't believe the Japanese weren't able to sink the Johnston faster, so I'll leave it at that. @@wordsshackles441
@@wordsshackles441can u provide me more accurate information, lets see who's the right here.
Ultimately, another factor for IJN losing the battle was human factor. At Surigao Strait Shima retreated instead of helping Nishimura fleet partly due to his personal issues with Nishimura, and at Samar Kurita was very tired and worn out after a few very long days including he having to swim for his life after Atago sank and endured big battles with Musashi and many others sank, and he was not very keen to fight on after encountering a seem to be large fleet Taffy 3.
Kurita's incompetence was astonishing. Of course, that's easy to say now from a comfortable chair in 2023, but even so, he really worked hard to lose that fightl.
Having a strategy based on winning a decisive naval battle against the USN but acting incredibly risk averse in almost all situations so as to avoid a decisive naval battle? Typical IJN admiralty
@@BoxStudioExecutive I'm not getting it. Their deception plan to lure away Halsey worked. They faced only a relatively modest TF3. All Kurita had to do is execute the goddam plan.
@@Martinit0 Yamamoto in heaven: "You had. ONE. JOB."
@@Martinit0 not that modest. all the taffys put together could put up a bigger swarm of attack planes bigger than the one that bombed pearl. CF wouldn't have lasted much longer once those fly boys landed and rearmed properly. if kurita believed he was facing halsey's fleet carriers, he had good reason to.
I'm a USN veteran, and whenever I hear or read about the story of Taffy 3 it is always very moving and fills me with immense pride. Thank you Ops Room for telling this story with such accuracy and detail.
I've been looking forward to this video, a battle that is the truest definition of David tossing a rock at Goliath. The Johnston and the Samuel B Roberts didn't sink due to shelling, but from the massive weight of the balls on their crews.
And as for hitting 1mil subs, you've earned it Operations Room, your videos are consistently of top quality and truly riveting storytelling. I'm here for the long haul with you.
They didn’t sink… they engaged submarine mode!
I'M SAYING!!!!! Balls of absolute 100% IRON!!!!
@@supersolo6 Bethlehem Steel or The Gary Works either way American Steel, born in the USA!
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
@@wordsshackles441 you’ve copied and pasted the same garbage over and over
I can't believe those three destroyers turned around and ran after getting the request for help.
"Help us for the lovw of fuck!!"
"Yep!" *turns around and fucks off*
Good timing, SECNAV announced DDG-141 USS Ernest E. Evans just yesterday! Finally we get a destroyer named after one of the best and most badass destroyer captains in naval history.
"Sir, you broke the rules!"
"Okay, what rule did I break?"
"Sorry, we're not allowed to tell you that."
I just want to say thank you for this. My Great Uncle was on the Johnston during this and this is how he was KIA. I'm so glad I could get a visualization to see how brave a valient they fought and knowing they didn't give up without a fight. This means alot!
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
@@wordsshackles441 You're a literal idiot.
@@wordsshackles441bro is onto nothing 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
You guys seriously deserve the success you have. Your team does a great job and I've learned a lot about various world conflicts I would have known little to nothing about otherwise.
Right?
I love this channel as much as I despise youtube's terrible monetization policies.
Congrats on one million, well deserved.
The first I'm hearing about Taffy 2 withdrawalin unscathed. The men overboard were left there an inexcusable amount of time too. Excellent briefing. Thank you.
Congrats 1 million subscribers So deserved honestly when I was going through a tough time in my life your videos helped me get through it
I often like to make a distinction between things I consider to be my favorite, and things I consider to be the best. This channel is the perfect intersection of both in terms of the topics and stories they tell and the quality of the animations and research.
Couple minor corrections. Takao Kurita was a Vice Admiral by the time of this battle, not a Rear Admiral. And while St. Lo was the first major U.S. warship sunk by kamikazes this wasn’t the first time the tactic had been used as Taffy 1 had been fighting off kamikazes most of the morning. Taffy 1 was also commanded by a Thomas Sprague (no relation to Clifton “Ziggy” Sprague) and he was the overall leader of the Taffies.
@@irvhh143 huh
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
@@wordsshackles441 Citation needed.
I had a bit of a back and forth on the subject with Drachnifel, and when I asked him to reveal his sources, he vaguely pointed me towards the 'Senshi Sosho - volume 41' that treats the Battles of Leyte.
He eventually admitted that since he cannot read Japanese, he 'got help' from some Japanese friends. I repeatedly asked him to point me towards the actual section of the volume relative to the battle of Samar and any section that may contain a trace of the spectacular and improbable maneuvers of the three destroyers, but he just vaguely pointed me towards Volume 41. He was incapable of linking me towards the actual page or section of the volume, despite being freely accessible on the NDIS library online.
Now that's a fact, I am not making this up.
Look, I can respect the nice animations and entertainment value, but the fact is that these guys are not researchers, they are passionate individuals that vaguely regurgitate and vulgarize the allied accounting of the events. They are effective echo chambers of the perceived consensus at best.
They say that truth is the first casualty of war,, and history is written by the winners, well you better believe it.
Since all the volumes of the Senshi Sosho are freely accessible online now, I am trying to find a reference to these maneuvers, if you are interested, I can get back to you on that. It will take some time though. If not I will leave you alone.
PS : Here's an interesting passage on Wikipedia about the Senshi Sosho : 'The history, comprising 102 volumes, the first of which was published in 1966 and the final one in 1980, was compiled from Imperial Japanese Army, Imperial Japanese Navy, other Japanese government records, and personal diaries and records which survived Japan's defeat in the war. Many of the records were initially confiscated by Allied governments, mainly the United States, but were returned to Japan in 1958.
One of the many perks of being on the winning side is that you get to confiscate your defeated enemies account of the war for 13 years no less (Ask yourself why), and hand it back to them in whatever trim you so wish.@@warwatcher91
Citation needed.@@wordsshackles441
That capsizing animation is such a flex. How far this channel has come, I'm so here for it.
My grandfather was on the Leyte beach during this time. I may not be alive if it weren’t for the bravery of these sailors. Thank you for sharing their story.
Amazing the volume of 5" fire these destroyers could put out in a short period of time, and accurate too. Also, now I want to learn more about the skipper of Yukikaze.
The 5"/38 was the best dual purpose weapon ever made. it was a big reason why US destroyers were so effective combined with excellent fire control. Even earlier in the war when the us took a lot of losses it was rare for a us destroyer to be outgunned by the enemy. Instead it was torpedo based engagements where the Japanese held a massive advantage.
To say that all of those American sailors showed true conspicuous gallantry is an understatement. Unreal bravery and courage in the face of unfathomable odds
I like to think this was the battle besides Midway and the Guadalcanal naval battles that finally gave the United States Navy a badge to be the worthy successor of the Royal Navy.
Happy 1 million! Heres to many more!
20:30 really hit me in the guts, the determination and sense of duty among these men is incredible.
The metal image of a badly wounded sailor desperately clutching onto the last shell, determined to give the enemy one last "F you" is powerful
It was, from what I understand, a very obviously fatal intestinal wound.
Can someone tell me psychologically why soldiers/etc do that? Fight to the death?
@@Ben-ek1fz You fight for your ship, your mates, your unit. You don't want to let them down.
@@gwtpictgwtpict4214 thank u for explaining. Im a civilian I would not know this loyality
Keep up the good work guys, I love your videos and there isn't anyone else on TH-cam that have the quality and style that you do!
Thank you, I've seen several good documentaries on the Battle Off Samar, but these maps finally helped me understand Admiral Kurita's decision to withdraw. Center Force had become scattered and disorganized over a wide combat zone making it highly vulnerable to a counterattack - a counterattack he couldn't rule out given the limited information available. If any frontline USN task forces had suddenly appeared on the scene, the IJN would have been massacred.
It makes a lot more sense than "Oh, he lost his nerve and quit."
The man had also not slept in days and been forced to swim for his life after his previous flagship had been sunk, watched one of his superbattleships burn and probably suffered a concussion. When one comparezs his post-battle reports to those of other officers, it's quite clear his mind wasn't clear - the only reason he even knew he was fighting carriers is because he recognized the "starboard side superstructure".
Kurita was also fatalist and believed (rightfully) the war was long lost anddid not believe in wasting the lives of the tens of thousands of men he had. with or without hindsight, that seems pretty respectble. I doubt Center Force could have escaped unscathed.
Man you really know how to make history fun.
imagine if they teamed up with Drach!
If you imagine the Battle off Samar as a bar room brawl, USS Johnston is basically that one guy who goes around and punches everyone else in the face, at least once, and then goes on to the next guy.
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
@@wordsshackles441I feel like this is insulting to the time channels like OR spend researching these and vastly underestimate how hard it is to aim a battleship's, or even heavy cruiser's, guns. They're a tiny ship up to 3 kilometers away making wild manoeuvres at high speeds against slow firing, very inaccurate, high dispersion guns. With how fraught the Japanese crews were before the battle (the captain himself had had to swim off his sinking flagship just before the battle, and the crews had been on general quarters for 3 days). A destroyer's speed is their protection and destroyers are the direct counter to battleship's and heavy cruisers because of the disparity in guns. + Both sides have records of this battle.
I had a bit of a back and forth on the subject with Drachnifel, and when I asked him to reveal his sources, he vaguely pointed me towards the 'Senshi Sosho - volume 41' that treats the Battles of Leyte.
He eventually admitted that since he cannot read Japanese, he 'got help' from some Japanese friends. I repeatedly asked him to point me towards the actual section of the volume relative to the battle of Samar and any section that may contain a trace of the spectacular and improbable maneuvers of the three destroyers, but he just vaguely pointed me towards Volume 41. He was incapable of linking me towards the actual page or section of the volume, despite being freely accessible on the NDIS library online.
Now that's a fact, I am not making this up.
Look, I can respect the nice animations and entertainment value, but the fact is that these guys are not researchers, they are passionate individuals that vaguely regurgitate and vulgarize the allied accounting of the events. They are effective echo chambers of the perceived consensus at best.
They say that truth is the first casualty of war,, and history is written by the winners, well you better believe it.
Since all the volumes of the Senshi Sosho are freely accessible online now, I am trying to find a reference to these maneuvers, if you are interested, I can get back to you on that. It will take some time though. If not I will leave you alone.
PS : Here's an interesting passage on Wikipedia about the Senshi Sosho : 'The history, comprising 102 volumes, the first of which was published in 1966 and the final one in 1980, was compiled from Imperial Japanese Army, Imperial Japanese Navy, other Japanese government records, and personal diaries and records which survived Japan's defeat in the war. Many of the records were initially confiscated by Allied governments, mainly the United States, but were returned to Japan in 1958.
One of the many perks of being on the winning side is that you get to confiscate your defeated enemies account of the war for 13 years no less (Ask yourself why), and hand it back to them in whatever trim you so wish.@@cookiecraze1310
@wordsshackles441 That’s a lot of words to say “I’m not bothering to do my own research, but I’ll crap on anyone that tries to do their own”. :P
I cannot read or hear the story of Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Paul H. Carr without tearing up. This is a battle that just arrests me with awe for what these sailors did when the impossible was asked of them. Thank you @TheOperationsRoom for retelling it so well.
"We're suckering them in to 40mm range!" - LOL
*"GODDAMMIT, BOYS, THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!"* LOL+
The fact that Halsey got away with his screw up because of those sailors sacrifice it’s infuriating to say the least, abandoning the mission pretty much.
Can't agree more. To me the ultimate insult was Carl Vinson insisting that Halsey received the fifth star while Spruance got stuck at 4.
@@DarthV3622Fkm i will take Spruance over that overrated bull any time, at least he would have stayed in the operation zone and get the job properly, the Americans had the perfect defensive formation in the battle just for halsey to screw the entire northern flank just because he wanted his own midway.
Well the thing is Halsey was a aggressive go getter which is a good thing for him to have earlier in war but being too aggressive can get you in trouble as well. The Japanese were aware that Halsey was daring and not afraid to take risks but in this battle it worked against him.
It’s good to be aggressive but you also have to know when to do nothing like in here. Just protect the landing fleet and do nothing more.
Well, it only seems that way because Taffy 3 pulled a surprising victory. I'm sure if they hadn't, Halsey would have been in hot water for sure.
@@dimasgirl2749 yea the Japanese decoy was not out of nowhere. They were fully aware that Halsey was a daring and risk taker man and they calculated that he would blunder and he did but lucky the amercian small fleet caused problems for the Japanese attack navy
Good timing on this video as just yesterday the US Navy announced the will again be naming a ship "USS Evans" in honor of Commander Evans
What more can I say than what has already been said?
Great job again good sir! Ive read Hornfishers book a couple of times and I always tear up because of the sheer amount of courage it takes to do what those legends did.
We salute those who gave their lives.
You guys did the best jam on TH-cam of reporting history how it happened without a slant or bias in any direction. Your research is second to none and I greatly appreciate your hard work. It does show.
Thanks! You guys are great. I have learned so much from your videos over the last couple years. You will always have my support 🙏
Johnston is SO EPIC (thanks Drach) and I would love to see it
Hello 😂
The Battle of Leyte Gulf is such an incredible dramatic story especially the Battle off Samar chapter. I have read a couple of books on the battle and parts have always been confusing. Thank you Operations Room for another excellent set of videos!
My Great Uncle Glen fought on the USS Johnston. This is the best video of the battle that I’ve found. I’m going to share it with the rest of my family. Well done 👍
Congratulations on hitting the 1M mark! One of the best military history channels anywhere. I’ve been a WW2 history buff for a long time but this is the first time I’ve heard details about this battle. It should be talked about alongside Midway and Coral Sea, especially because of the actions of those destroyers.
Ever since I first started following this channel, this is the exact battle and animation I have been waiting for! It's amazing to see how far you have come in that time since!
Wake up babe, the operations room dropped a new video, oh and bake a cake they just achieved an amazing milestone!
You have probably become my favorite channel on all of YT. I follow all of major YT history channels and most of the mid-size and many smaller less known ones as well but your videos just stand out so much from all other history channels. When your videos covering the Gulf War first came out I was blown away by how good they were and I still am to this day. I still watch those videos you made now from time to time. I can rewatch your videos multiple times, they are just so good.
My favorite series of videos you guys have done are the Gulf War videos followed by your WW2 videos on the Battle of the Bulge and the Pacific War in WW2.
I'd love to see you guys cover the Iraq War of 2003 (second Gulf War). It would be a great follow-up to your most successful video series. It would of course be shorter but it would be a great comparison on how even more modern warfare is fought. Especially in comparison to what Russia has tried to do within Ukraine over the last 2 years now.
I'd be interested seeing you cover WW1, the US Civil War, the Spanish American War, Russo-Japanese War and the Crimean War. They would be a bit further in the past than you are used to covering but they all kind of fall in that area of warfare where it adapts from line fighting to more modern warfare. Maybe you don't cover them in small individual soldier to soldier detail like you have done for some of your videos. But covering them at the individual company or battalion level would be pretty cool I think (maybe regiment level for WW1).
But regardless, just keep up the great work! Your videos are just so amaziling good!
Another fun fact about this battle. It also has the deepest shipwreck ever Identified at almost 23,000 feet! One of the little heroes Samuel b Roberts.
We were going over our family’s roles in WW2 and it turns out a classmates great grandpa was the one who found the fleet originally when he was told to check the radar
Hello, I love the videos. I watched basically every video of you guys. Keep up the phenomenal work
Thank you so much for this, my favorite naval engagement outside of Midway of World War 2
I had "World Wars I & II" in 11th grade & been hooked ever since. You say something rarely mentioned and I'm very appreciative of it~ the Japanese destroyer's salute. What an honor! A surreal moment to be sure, but it's perhaps the best measure of the Fighting Spirit, when coming from a military culture. Awesome movie & bonus points for the extra mile research!👍😎
Ive been obsessed with these videos....was gutted when i didn't get this second part....keep up the good work guys
I read the story of Taffy 3 in my Blue Jackets manual at boot camp. Knowing that I was becoming a (very small) part of that same legacy instilled a bit of pride in me that still hasn't left. Absolute Legends.
FANTASTIC channel, and my Dad (ex navy) who I turned on to you LOVES your work.
Taffy 3 does more before 9am than most task forces do all day.
thank you so much op room. you deserve so much more. just joined on patreon!
Get well soon.
What an absolutely crazy battle with some crazy daring commanders and captains. Thank you for the videos as always.
Evans was taken by the Valkyries... That's why he was there one moment and gone the next. Amazing telling of this story by the Operations Room. I also highly recommend "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" by James Hornfischer (RIP)
I like to think his was a case similar to that of Feanor in "The Simarillion", namely his fiery spirit was so strong it incinerated his body as it departed.
One of the best channels of our lifetime. Thanks for providing quality docs and being honest over the years.
I was especially pleased to see that you included the more recent and most likely theory behind how Chōkai was fatally wounded.
Congrats on 1 million subs! You deserve it!
I hope you are feeling better, sending best wishes for a speedy recovery from the illness. Thank you for your dedication to us to work trough this sickness
Samuel B Roberts: The Destroyer Escort that fought like a Battleship. An absolutely legendary story of bravery.
This is the American account of the event and exclusively so, including the lies. For instance USS Johnston is a nice fairytale but there is no way the IJN got so bad at aiming in the space of 2 years that an entire armada became seemingly incapable of taking down a single charging destroyer.I recommend people to take their distance with such youtube content. It's fun to watch and it's well made, but these are in no way accurate accounts of the events of WW2.
@@wordsshackles441 Making a claim like that and not giving any counter proof is stupid af.
@@afroking2448 I had a bit of a back and forth on the subject with Drachnifel, and when I asked him to reveal his sources, he vaguely pointed me towards the 'Senshi Sosho - volume 41' that treats the Battles of Leyte.
He eventually admitted that since he cannot read Japanese, he 'got help' from some Japanese friends. I repeatedly asked him to point me towards the actual section of the volume relative to the battle of Samar and any section that may contain a trace of the spectacular and improbable maneuvers of the three destroyers, but he just vaguely pointed me towards Volume 41. He was incapable of linking me towards the actual page or section of the volume, despite being freely accessible on the NDIS library online.
Now that's a fact, I am not making this up.
Look, I can respect the nice animations and entertainment value, but the fact is that these guys are not researchers, they are passionate individuals that vaguely regurgitate and vulgarize the allied accounting of the events. They are effective echo chambers of the perceived consensus at best.
They say that truth is the first casualty of war,, and history is written by the winners, well you better believe it.
Since all the volumes of the Senshi Sosho are freely accessible online now, I am trying to find a reference to these maneuvers, if you are interested, I can get back to you on that. It will take some time though. If not I will leave you alone.
PS : Here's an interesting passage on Wikipedia about the Senshi Sosho : 'The history, comprising 102 volumes, the first of which was published in 1966 and the final one in 1980, was compiled from Imperial Japanese Army, Imperial Japanese Navy, other Japanese government records, and personal diaries and records which survived Japan's defeat in the war. Many of the records were initially confiscated by Allied governments, mainly the United States, but were returned to Japan in 1958.
One of the many perks of being on the winning side is that you get to confiscate your defeated enemies account of the war for 13 years no less (Ask yourself why), and hand it back to them in whatever trim you so wish
@@wordsshackles441 Then how did you suppose the Battle of Samar actually went despite being well documented?
@@wordsshackles441How do you suppose it actually happened? I’d love to see an alternative view considering how unreliable these sources are apparently
Operations Room, I cannot fully express my love for this channel. Thank you so much.
I’ve been waiting for this ALL WEEK thought it’ll be out 7 days after the previous but here it is!! Happy 1m!
Your videos are excellent! Thank you for sharing these videos and providing those brave men and women who served and died in these battles an opportunity to be remembered in a unique manner.
Beautiful work as always, keep it up!
I want to congratulate all members of The Operations Room for the best depiction of wartime engagements available on the Internet. You do a superb job.
My first knowledge of this battle was on the History Channel “dogfights” and they only showed a snap shot of this epic battle. Thank you so much for all your hard work in covering this topic. Any plans on talking about the decision makings of all admirals on both sides on the Intel Report? I know many people criticize Halsey and Koreta for their actions on that day, but I believe people are missing the bigger picture which is worth talking about.
Check Montemayor channel as he does videos from each sides perspective and the decisions they need to make. Gives a little insight to the "fog of war". Not sure if he did one for Leyte but his Midway videos and others are superb.
Excellent perspective on the position of the two forces. I thought I had read a lot about this engagement but your graphics really show the chaos and bravery of the commanders involved.
Love watching your guys videos and even got my father who was in the 101st during the first Gulf War interested in watching.
Are you guys able to cover the second gulf war in 2003 against the Iraqi Army? Topics like the famed Thunder Run by the 3rd ID, or the coverage of PFC Jessica Lynch and how her convoy was attacked and then her rescue?
What about anything from Panama or Bosina?
This is definitely the craziest naval battle I have ever heard of. Great video. I am absolutely astonished at the story and the video quality!
Hi Operation Room, is it possible you could put the naval battles of ww2 in chronological order? Like a playlist I could watch. That would be very cool. Thanks for your work and entertainment as always.
If I'm not wrong, I believe that you could create your own playlists on youtube.
@@AmericanIdiot7659 you seem to be well named... he'd have to watch every episode again to see which fits where which sort of defeats the purpose doesn't it? I would appreciate a history course by theatre as well. It wouldn't be in order of interest perhaps but it would be an important record for those kids in the future who wouldn't get this information from school.
As usual. Excellent content.
Praying for your rapid recovery
"IJN ships, staggered line. Commander Evans, they outnumbered us 3 to 1"
*Then it is an even fight*
huge respect for an amazing series. The whole team deserve to be very proud!
It’s a shame that not just these but all other educational videos get demonetised because not going to lie, I’d like to watch these sort of things and know that even if I don’t have the money to support you I still can help through ad revenue. Been watching since 2020 and not once have I regretted it!
This is the best video on your channel , arguably the best in version of this story. I would say its similar to early ken burns films 🎥 the way he weaved the narrative around the theme of the story, purposely restricting visual and audible effects makes the viewer use their own imagination to visualize and relate to the characters in a more intimate way, I think you do this with the way you setup the narrative and animation timing with the soft flat background music and voice audio. Very satisfying but not overwhelming 👌🏼
Commander Evan's last seen battling the enemy and leading his men bare chested. This needs a full movie.
I remain convinced there is an afterlife where Evan's can continue to fight with the spirit of Johnston.
They were escort ships but fought as capital ships.
If you look at photos of Johnston’s wreck, all her remaining guns from the 5-inchers to the 20mms are still trained out to starboard.
The old girl went down swinging.
Commander Evans, him true brave of both Creek and Cherokee tribes. Him most certainly go to Happy Hunting Grounds.
This has become one of my lifetime favorite TH-cam channels. Not even the classic 1980s channels with their amazing coverage of post 9/11 conflicts could hold my attention like this. :) ... but seriously you guys are fantastic. This is better than watching most big budget war movies.
So many heroics in this battle. Where in the world was Halsey?
I absolutely love your videos. Thank you for preserving these historic battles with the level of respect you have given them. I personally thank you for all you do!
hey operatons room! just wanted to thank you for the work you've done. I've been subscribed since your first videos and I am so happy for you 1m sub accomplishment. You truly deserve it. Please, keep it up!
Y’all deserve monetization! The ‘tisim that goes into these is admirable
@24:25 Captain of the Yukikaze was a true gentleman.
I just caught up with this series, and I was completely hooked, and then I was suddenly disappointed when this part wasn’t out yet. I am extremely happy that I caught up to it at just the right time.
Johnston was just there to help every time others were getting hit! Bravo to everybody involved
The wait was very worth it. Heck, the info and delivery quality is always *chef's kiss*