Originally Posted by maximusslade

Having read Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors I can appreciate Fog's point, BUUUUT for the record, we lost two CVEs, two DD's and a DE, the Japanese, for their part, thought that our DDs were CA's and that our DE was a CL. Further more, while the small US airstrikes against the Japanese were causing some damage, Kurita was faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar more concerened with Admiral Olendorf's task force that was closing in after just having finished off the Southern Force at the Battle of Surigao Strait.

So yes, it is unrealistic to try to design a ship that is immune to torpedos. Yes, BB's have limitations when operating without air cover. And OH YES our boys were able to pull off a heroic stand in the face of insurmountable odds. But do not say that the Japanese lost because BB's and CA's are impotent against DD's and carriers. The Japanese did not know what they were fighting and had an enemy force, vastly superior to his own, closing up on his rear, so he did what any prudent commander would do, he got the hell out of Dodge. By the time the Japanese withdrew from Samar, the escorts were burning or sunk and Taffy 3 was short carriers. If he had stayed he could have cleaned up Taffy 3 but would have had to deal with Maryland, West Virginia, Mississippi, Tennesse, California, and Pennsylvania plus all their escorts.