The Battle of Saipan was a pivotal conflict during World War II, fought between June 15 and July 9, 1944, on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands. It was part of the broader Pacific War and the Central Pacific Campaign, aimed at capturing Japanese-held islands to facilitate the eventual bombing of the Japanese home islands.
Saipan was strategically important because it was within B-29 Superfortress bombing range of the Japanese mainland. The capture of Saipan would provide the United States with air bases from which to launch these attacks, significantly impacting the war's progression. The island was heavily fortified by Japanese forces, with an estimated 30,000 troops under the command of Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito.
The American invasion, known as Operation Forager, began on June 15, 1944, when the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions and the Army's 27th Infantry Division landed on Saipan's western beaches. The operation was characterized by:
By July 9, 1944, organized Japanese resistance had essentially ceased. The remaining Japanese forces, including many civilians, committed mass suicide rather than surrender, a tragic event known as the "Saipan Suicides." The battle ended with:
The capture of Saipan was a major turning point in the Pacific War: