The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a major naval battle during World War II. The word "Philippine" is spelt /fɪlɪˈpiːn/ in IPA phonetic transcription, with the stress on the second syllable. The "ph" at the beginning of the word is pronounced as an "f" sound, while the "e" at the end is pronounced as a long "e" sound. The word "Sea" is spelt /siː/ in IPA phonetics, with a long "e" sound at the end. Together, the spelling of this word accurately represents the pronunciation of its elements.
The Battle of the Philippine Sea, also known as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, was a major naval battle that took place on June 19-20, 1944, during World War II. It was a decisive confrontation between the United States and Imperial Japan in the Pacific theater.
The battle occurred in the Philippine Sea, a large body of water situated east of the Philippine Islands. The American forces, led by Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, sought to establish air and sea superiority in the area, as well as to neutralize the Japanese fleet. The Imperial Japanese Navy, under Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa, aimed to halt the American invasion of the Mariana Islands.
The battle involved extensive aerial and naval combat. The American carrier-based aircraft launched devastating attacks on the Japanese fleet, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of Japanese aircraft and the sinking of three Japanese aircraft carriers. The battle marked a significant turning point in the Pacific War, as it severely weakened the Japanese Navy and halted their expansion in the Pacific.
The Battle of the Philippine Sea is often referred to as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot due to the lopsided casualty count, with overwhelming losses inflicted upon the Japanese forces. The victory solidified the United States' control over the Pacific and paved the way for subsequent offensives, ultimately leading to the end of the war in the Pacific theatre.