[MKalafatas]

The charge of the destroyers and destroyer escorts at the Yamato and company was the American "Charge of the Light Brigade." It was hopeless, and heroic. The commander of the USS Johnson (I think?) won the Medal of Honor for his charge.

So much of war turns on the mental state of the on-scene commander. Kurita was fished out of the sea when his flagship Agato was sunk by Darter. Then he was strafed by American fighters and charged by destroyers.

He concluded that this boldness was justified by a nearby US carrier group --- a not unreasonable conclusion.

I agree with the prior note, saying that Kurita could have achieved more by pressing into the Gulf --- at the cost of his entire force.

But I'll bet the Japanese high command preferred such a result. After all, Yamato was wasted less than a year later, sent on a mission just hoping for the same desperate opportunity that Kurita spurned.