Thread by @poppy_haze

if they're going to be doing suicide missions in 1944, they might as well print the big red meatball and have them scream TENNOUHEKAI BANZAI #艦これ

OOOOOOOOOOH FUCK, it's 23rd October 1944???

Uh, this battle historically... these bitches are going to die #艦これ

So the Battle of Surigao Strait was the final battleship-on-battleship action in naval history. The previous battleship-on-battleship battle, was during 2nd Guadalcanal wherein US Navy Vice Admiral "Ching" Lee singlehandedly humiliated a superior Japanese fleet and sunk Kirishima

As the show depicts accurately, Nishimura's Southern Force is on a suicide mission to distract the Americans, and consists of 2 old battleships, Yamashiro and Fusou, the heavy cruiser Mogami, and 4 destroyers, Shigure, Michishio, Asagumo and Yamagumo

Only Shigure will survive

Facing the Southern Force will be 6 modern US battleships, 5 of whom were sunk at Pearl Harbor, refloated, repaired and are raring for revenge

Along with 8 cruisers, 28 destroyers, and 39 torpedo boats, that will give accurate warning for the 7th Fleet who set a deadly trap

Nishimura manages to sail through the hail of torpedoes from the US torpedo boats but during this time, the 28 US destroyers have made a "U" shaped formation, turn, and fire all their torpedoes into the Southern Force

At around 0300, both Japanese battleships are hit, and Fuso falls out of formation burning vigorously. 2 of the 4 destroyers are sunk instantly, a 3rd limps away but will sink

Fuso is targeted by accurate American radar-lain gunfire and blows in half, the 2 halves float apart

As Nishimura's force limps towards the American fleet, they are picked up on radar in the night, the US battleships have had time to sail into position for a full broadside, and open up, this will be the last full salvo in naval history and it cripples Yamashiro and Mogami.

With the flagship Yamashiro burning, the Japanese Southern Force loses cohesion, and begins firing ineffectively in all directions. Yamashiro is hit at 0405 by a torpedo from destroyer Bennion and sinks with Nishimura minutes later, causing Mogami and Shigure to retreat

In the chaos, the 2nd Japanese Southern Force led by Shima accidentally rams the wounded Mogami, crippling her steering. Unable to keep up and easy prey for American aircraft, she is scuttled. Shima cancels the mission and retreats, leaving destroyer Shigure the only survivor