Days 48-49 (Feb 18) Guam, Saipan

Guam

Today I find it difficult to fathom the magnitude of the US and Japanese forces fighting in the battles from Guam to Saipan to .... Iwo Jima ... to Okinawa, the string of islands marching northward to Okinawa in the Ryuku Island chain leading to Japan proper. When I get back home and plan to watch in full the pair of movies  directed by Clint Eastwood, "Flag of Our Fathers," and "Letters to Home," depicting the Battle of Iwo Jima from the American and Japanese perspectives, respectfully. You can find trailers at

        Flag of Our Fathers:  https://youtu.be/zmMygl7Ugs8?si=h08Ldrh8SeJQgSza

        Letters to Home:  https://youtu.be/GA-sv7THq00?si=2zdO27O9XLy-RtGT

 

US Assault Forces. (Movie depiction)	View of Japanese bunker as seen—or not—by assaulting US forces. (Movie depiction)
American troops entering Japanese command complex?(Movie depiction)	Dense troop assault. (Movie depiction)
Dense troop assault. (Movie depiction)	Japanese engaging US assault troops from camouflaged bunker.

The Marine and Army forces that retook the island suffered some seventeen hundred losses retaking the island. The Japanese commanded the heights and were well dug into surrounding ridge overlooking the two landing beaches. Here you see the view of the beaches from the ridge and a memorial to Americans killed in the earlier defense of the island and the massive battles retaking it.

View of Guam landing beaches for heights commanded by Japanese forces

Memorial listing Americans who died when Japanese took island (upper left) and those who died retaking Guam (majority of panel)

We Road Scholars gaze out over the now quiet landing beaches of 1944

Some remnants of Japanese occupation remain:

Today baseball little leaguers in Guam play catch in a park. A stadium is nearby.

Guam is the US territory marking the furthest Westward extent of the American empire. Accordingly, a small Statue of Liberty replica faces westward on the western end of the island.

This small Statue of Liberty replica marks
the farthest extent of US authority

Saipan

Saipan was the island that US forces took after Guam. This permitted US aircraft to support troops taking Tinian, a smaller island just south from which the atomic bomb flights were launched.

Genevieve, our wonderful Saipan guide, remarked that LVTs and flamethrowers were of great importance to US forces landing on Saipan and then defeating Japanese troops in cave complexes.

LVT (Landing Vehicle Tracked) driving in toward entrenched Japanese fortifications and bunkers.

Flamethrower used against Japanese defenders in caves (movie depiction).

Today the beaches of Saipan are peaceful and deserted except for some locals and the very few tourists who make it to this far island. Saipan only sees half a dozen cruise ships like ours a year. In almost empty beach in Saipan children play in the shallows of beautiful beach. In the distance are two "repo" ships that our local guide said are a mystery. But later googling suggested that these are US repositioning ships full of materials and equipment to support US forces should an eventuality occur.

Having fun. Family having picnic on the shore.

As US forces completed the conquest of Saipan, the Japanese soldiers fought to the death and their commander committed ritual suicide. Sadly, they had convinced the islanders that the US soldiers and marines were monstrous murders and would commit atrocities against them and their children, so many committed suicide by jumping from cliffs.

One cliff where Saipan civilians jumped to their deaths to avoid the alleged vicious American troops

Memorials to civilians and Japanese troops who died in Saipan