The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the largest and last major sea battle of World War Two. It was between the Allied forces and the Imperial Japanese Navy in and around the seas of the Philippine Islands. Both forces had their centers of gravity and they were completely different from one another. One must know not only their own center of gravity, but also their enemies. Failure to properly analyze, identify and attack an enemy's center of gravity will ultimately end in demise. The center of gravity plays the biggest role in planning any type of operation. The center of gravity is defined as, The source of power that provides moral or physical strength, freedom of action, or will to act (JP 5-0, GL-6). To identify the center of gravity one must first understand the critical capabilities, requirements and vulnerabilities of both sides in any given conflict. These factors are many and can encompass not only military factors, but also nonmilitary factors.
The center of gravity is the most inner portion of any action or will to act. Surrounding this axle are the critical capabilities, requirements and vulnerabilities. Just outside of the center of gravity lie the critical capabilities. They are defined as, A means that is considered a crucial enabler for a center of gravity to function as such and is essential to the accomplishment of the specified or assumed objective(s) (JP 5-0, GL-9). Some examples of critical capabilities are, but not limited to: Armed forces, intelligence, economy and national debt, leadership and will to fight. Surrounding the critical capabilities are the more numerous critical requirements. A critical requirement is, An essential condition, resource, and means for a critical capability to be fully operational (JP 5-0, GL-9). Logistics, satellites, money and training to name a few are some examples of the requirements needed to sustain a nations critical capabilities.
