Figure 1.-- After the American victory on Saipan and Tinian, Japanese civilians were held in internment camps. Security was light because water, food, shelter, and medical care was provided in the camps. The photo depicts a marine giving candy to a Japanese child in an internment camp on Tinian, probanly around August 1944. In cotrast to Japanese intenment camps, the civilians gained weight. There were virtually no POWs as the Japanese soldiers refused to surrender.

The Japanese invasion of China affected countless civilians as the Japanese moved south and into the interior from coastal areas. The same was the case of the subsequent invasion of Southeast Asia and the Dutch East Indies. The Pacific War was, however, very different. It was fought over a large number of small islands with very limited populations, in some cases uninhabited islands and atols. This began to change as United states forces penetrated the outer perimeter of the Japanese defenses in the South and Central Pacific. The first substantial civilian population encountered by American forces was in the Marianas. This included both indigenous people and Japanese colonists. These were the first Japanese civilians encountered by American forces. The civilian population and composition of the population varied from island to island, in part because the Americans controlled the southern-most island--Guam. The Japanese as a result of World War I controlled the rest of the Marianas. The indigenous population was the Chamoros who the Japanese did nor trust. The Japanese settled large numbers of their own people on the islands in the inter-Ear era (1920s-30s). They founded a sugar industry to replace imports. As a result, at the time of the invasions, there were many Japanese civilians on Saipan and Tinian as well as Taiwanese and Koreans. The Chamoro population continued to be most important on Guam. A Census conducted in 1939 by the Japanese reported that the Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean civilian population totaled 77,000, outnumbering the Chamorros (52,000). The Chamorros on Guam welcomed the Americans return. The Japanese had a very different view which led to a tragedy, especially on Saipan. The Americans landed in the south and fought their way north. The Japanese retreated northward. Finally there was no where left. Lt. Gen Yoshitsugu Saito commanded the Japanese forces on the island. Saito made plans for a final suicidal banzai charge (July 7). The Japanese civilians were terrified of the Americans. Actually the greatest danger came from their own soldiers. As for the civilians, Saito explained that death was the only answer. He explained, as to the fate of the surviving civilians on the island, Saito said, "There is no longer any distinction between civilians and troops. It would be better for them to join in the attack with bamboo spears than be captured." The attack began at dawn, led by group of 12 men carrying a great red flag. All the remaining able-bodied troops, some 3,000 men, charged with them. They were followed by the bandaged and bleeding walking wounded as well a some men on crutches. Amazingly, behind them came the wounded, with bandaged heads, crutches, and barely armed civilians. It was the by the largest Japanese Banzai attack in the Pacific War. [Goldberg, pp. 167�94.] The Japanese broke into the American lines and hand to hand fighting ensued. Some 630 Americans were killed or wounded. Almost all of the remaining Japnese garrison, some 4,300 Japanese were killed. In the wake of this, the civilians began committing suiside. Following orders from Tokyo, Saito and other Japanese commanders on Saipan ordered the Japanese civilians to commit suicide and thousands proceeded to commit mass suicide, determined to avoid capture by the Americans. Men who did not have weapons dove off the steep cliffs into shark-infested waters. Mothers incredibly threw their babies against rock walls before jumping to their death. Some mothers jumped with babes in arms. Even children committed suicide. Some civilians had grenades, blowing themselves up in caves or jumping with them. This was often done in view of the advancing Americans who used their translators and loud speakers to prevent the suicides. Some 8,000 civilians on Saipan died in this manner. The Americans were able to convince many people to surrender. The two sites of mass suicide became known as Banzai and Suicide Cliffs as memorial to these fallen civilians. Some 22,000 civilians died on Saipan. A large portion of that number were the mass suicides, civilians convinced that the Americans treated captives barbarously. On Tinian, a small handful of civilians also committed suicide, but the carnage was on a smaller scale. The situation was different in Guam with fewer Japanese and more Chamoros. Camps were set up for the Japanese, Only a handful of soldiers survived, but thousands of terrified civilians did so, any in terrier condition. They were returned to Japan after the War.

Destnctive Character of the Pacific War

The Japanese invasion of China affected countless civilians as the Japanese moved south and into the interior from coastal areas. The same was the case of the subsequent invasion of Southeast Asia and the Dutch East Indies. The Pacific War was, however, very different. It was fought over a large number of small islands with very limited populations, in some cases uninhabited islands and atols. This began to changeas United States forces penetrated the outer perimeter of the Japanese defenses in the South and Central Pacific.

Marianas Civilians

The first substantial civilian population encountered by American forces was in the Marianas. This included both indigenous Chamarro people and Japanese colonists. These were the first Japanese civilians encountered by American forces. The civilian population and composition of the population varied from island to island, in part because the Americans controlled the southern-most island--Guam. The Japanese as a result of World War I controlled the rest of the Marianas. The indigenous population was the Chamoros who the Japanese did nor trust. The Japanese settled large numbers of their own people on the islands in the inter-Ear era, primarily Saipan and to a lesser extent Tinian and Rota (1920s-30s). They founded a sugar industry to replace imports. As a result, at the time of the invasions, there were many Japanese civilians on Saipan and Tinian as well as Taiwanese and Koreans. The Chamorro population continued to be most important on Guam. A Census conducted in 1939 by the Japanese, we think on the Marianasa as a whole, reported that the Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean civilian population totaled 77,000, outnumbering the Chamorros (52,000). The Japanese removed some of the Chamoros from the northern islands. One poorly reported fact is that the civilians described as Japanese were a mixed group. Saipan is a beautiful island, but very rocky--not prime gricultural land. We are not sure just how the Japanese found colonists, but relarively few of the colonists came from the Japanese Home Islands, suggesting that the Japanese civilians were not all that interested in colonizing the Marianas. Many came from Okinawa and were people the Japanese looked down on as not fully Japanese. They were also Koreans abnd Taiwanse.

Civilian Reaction

The Chamorros on Guam welcomed the Americans return. The Japanese had a very different view which led to a tragedy, especially on Saipan. The Americans landed in the south and fought their way north. The Japanese retreated northward. Ee do not have information on how the different groups of civilians reacted to the Americans. Remember the Japanese had controlled the northern islands since World War I (1941-18). Presumably he Chomoros were glad to to see the Americans. The Japanese were horified. But we do not have details on how the diffeent groups of Japanese (Home Islsnd Japanese, Okinawans, Taswanese, and Koreans,

Final Banzai Charge

Finally there was no where left. Lt. Gen Yoshitsugu Saito commanded the Japanese forces on the island. Saito made plans for a final suicidal banzai charge (July 7). The attack began at dawn, led by group of 12 men carrying a great red flag. All the remaining able-bodied troops, some 3,000 men, charged with them. They were followed by the bandaged and bleeding walking wounded as well a some men on crutches. Amazingly, behind them came the wounded, with bandaged heads, crutches, and barely armed civilians. It was the largest Japanese Banzai attack of the Pacific War. 【Goldberg, pp. 167-94.】 The Japanese surged into the American front line, encountering both surprise Army and Marine units. The battle raged for 15 hours. The Japanese initially had some success. The Japanese broke into the American lines and hand to hand fighting ensued. The American 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 105th Infantry Regiment were nearly destroyed. Some 630 Americans were killed or wounded. Almost all of the remaining Japnese garrison, some 4,300 Japanese were killed. This was in part because many of these men had been slated for evacuation and had been ordered to turn in their rifles and amnuniton. The fierce resistance of these two battalions, added to that of the Headquarters Company, 105th Infantry, and supply elements of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Artillery Regiment resulted in over 4,300 Japanese killed. Unlike the Americans there were few wounded survivors. The Japanese fought to the death. As a result of their heroic resistance, three men of the 105th Infantry were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Marpi Point

In the wake of the Banzai charge, the Japanese civilians began committing suiside. The Japanese civilians were terrified of the Americans because of what they had been told by the Japanese military. . Although at this time we do not to what extent the different origins of what is often described as 'Japanese civilians' (Home Islands, Okinawan, Korean, and Taiwanese) affected thrir attitudes toward the Americans. Actually the greatest danger came from their own soldiers who would shoot civilians refusing to surrender and trying to reach American lines. As for the civilians, Saito explained that death was the only answer. Saito explained, "There is no longer any distinction between civilians and troops. It would be better for them to join in the attack with bamboo spears than be captured." Following orders from Tokyo, Saito and other Japanese commanders on Saipan ordered the Japanese civilians to commit suicide and thousands proceeded to commit mass suicide, determined to avoid capture by the Americans. Men who did not have weapons dove off the steep cliffs into shark-infested waters. Mothers incredibly threw their babies against rock walls before jumping to their death. Some mothers jumped with babes in arms. Even children committed suicide. Some civilians had grenades, blowing themselves up in caves or jumping with them. This was often done in view of the advancing Americans who used their translators and loud speakers to prevent the suicides. Some 8,000 civilians on Saipan are believed to have died in this manner. The Americans were able to convince many people to surrender. The two sites of mass suicide became known as Banzai and Suicide Cliffs as memorial to these fallen civilians. Some 22,000 civilians died on Saipan. A large portion of that number were the mass suicides, civilians convinced that the Americans treated captives barbarously. On Tinian, a small handful of civilians also committed suicide, but the carnage was on a smaller scale. The situation was different in Guam with fewer Japanese and many more Chamoros. Camps were set up for the Japanese, Only a handful of Japanese soldiers survived, but thousands of terrified civilians did so, any in terrier condition. They were returned to Japan after the War. We are unsure about the Koreans and Taiwanese.

Sources

Goldberg, Harold. D-Day in the Pacific: The Battle of Saipan (Indiana University Press, 2007).

Created: 2:44 AM 5/23/2015
Last updated: 2:45 AM 5/23/2015