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As things got worse in the Pacific during World War II, Japan got ready for what they thought would be a decisive naval fight with the US. Even though the Japanese fleet had fewer resources and less experienced crews, Admiral Soemu Toyoda was still eager to go up against the American fleet. As the Americans moved toward the Mariana Islands in June 1944, Toyoda came up with the A-Go Plan, which involved putting the best ships of the Imperial Navy under the command of Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa.
Japan built up its fleet at Tawi Tawi to deal with its lack of oil, but the United States kept an eye on their moves. As the Japanese attacked Saipan, Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, who was in charge of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, thought they would be aggressive. Ozawa's fleet, which included strong ships like the Yamato and Musashi as well as experienced carriers, set sail on June 11.
There was a big difference between the two sides in terms of training, gear, and funding. The Japanese had more people than the Americans in some places, but the Americans had better technology and better planes, like the F6F Hellcat and the TBM Avenger.
As the Japanese moved forward, American warships and submarines attacked their fleet, damaging supply ships and sinking submarines. Spruance took a cautious stance and waited for the Japanese to move while backing the attack on Saipan that was already happening.
On June 18, American codebreakers and navigators found Ozawa's ship. Even though his officers told him to attack first, Spruance refused because he didn't want to fall into a Japanese trap.
The next day, Ozawa sent out waves of planes, and Spruance's force got ready for the attack. The Japanese attackers were wiped out by American fighters led by leaders like Charles W. Brewer and Alex Vraciu. American gunners on ships like the Alabama and South Dakota fought off attacks from the air, killing many enemy soldiers.
Even though the Japanese had some wins, like a bomb attack on the South Dakota, the American fleet mostly came out of the war unscathed. By the end of the day, a lot of people had died in Ozawa's forces, but the Americans were still strong.
In later battles, Ozawa's raids continued to fail because the Japanese were not organized and the Americans were counterattacking. The Americans called the Battle of the Philippine Sea the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot." In the end, the U.S. Navy won the battle easily.
The tide of the Pacific War turned thanks in large part to Spruance's strategic patience and the skill and drive of American pilots and sailors. The battle was a turning point that showed the United States becoming the most powerful country in the Pacific area and Japan's naval power declining.
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