Nostalgia USA June 2016 Nostalgia USA June 2016 | Page 19

During the Pacific War, the M arianas emerged as one of the primary targets for the Allies in 1944. It was there that Japanese troops occupied the islands of Guam, Tinian and Saipan. During the M arianas Campaign they would become the next battlefields, with hundreds of thousands of Japanese and U .S. troops sent to the M arianas in June, July and August. Among the first targets was Saipan. At Saipan there was already a Japanese airfield, and so it was good position for Allied airfields that could provide air support for further operations in the Pacific and expand the range of U .S. bombing missions. As such, the U SA sent approximately 70,000 thousand M arines to take Saipan and defeat the 30,000 Japanese troops stationed there. Another of the targets was M ount Tapochau. M ount Tapochau was a 1,554 foot mountain that the Japanese troops retreated to. T he Americans sent in three divisions to clear the mountain, but weeks were still required to take M ount Tapochau. U .S. tanks and artillery had little impact at M ount Tapochau, and there was little air support for the M arines. Loremipsumdolor sit amet N evertheless, the Japanese troops could still not hold the mountain. After the fall of M ount Tapochau, the Battle of Saipan gradually came to a close. T he Americans advanced further northwards, and wiped out the remaining Japanese troops. T he battle was effectively over when they reached the northern end of Saipan. T he Allies had won D - Day in the Pacific War. T he fall of Saipan was the first victory in the M arianas, and left the door open for further advances at Guam and Tinian. W ith Japan's empire crumbling, Tojo resigned after the battle. H owever, despite this Japan did not surrender; and the Pacific War continued into 1945. Lee M arvin, June 18, 1944, during the assault on M ount Tapochau in the Battle of Saipan, during which most of his company were casualties.