The Battle of Leyte Gulf in October, 1944, was a desperate gamble by the Japanese navy to stop in its tracks America's march straight toward Tokyo. It also marked the moment when the attack on Pearl Harbor was truly avenged, as some of the ships resurrected from the bottom of Pearl Harbor took on the Japanese fleet with some devastating results.

In this exciting episode of "War Stories with Oliver North," you'll meet some of the men who landed with General Douglas MacArthur on the beaches at Leyte, and engaged in brutal jungle fighting with crack Japanese troops. You'll also meet some of the sailors who, when faced with unbelievable odds and the biggest and best of the Japanese navy, didn't turn and run. Instead they headed straight for what the rules of modern warfare spelled as certain defeat.

Legendary Admiral James Holloway talks about wreaking havoc on part of the Japanese fleet at Suriago Strait, using a textbook maneuver taught at every naval school. And you'll find out if the man in charge of the Third Fleet, Admiral William "Bull" Halsey, really did fall for one of the oldest tricks in the book.

The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the last great naval battle of World War II, and laid to waste the once invincible Japanese navy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices