Japan entered the Battle of the Philippine Sea believing Operation A-Go would trap the U.S. Fifth Fleet between Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa’s carrier aircraft and hundreds of land-based planes operating from Guam, Tinian, and the Marianas. But before the main carrier battle even began, American strikes had already shattered much of that island air network. Worse, false and exaggerated reports convinced Japanese commanders that the missing force was still ready to fight. This is the hidden story behind the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot - how a massive two-sided Japanese battle plan collapsed before Ozawa launched his first major strike, sending hundreds of aircraft toward a battlefield that existed only on command maps.
Sources:
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/...
https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us...
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/...
https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us...
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