[AU72]

Those who witnessed the aftermath of the mass suicide of the women and children who leaped off the cliff were affected for the rest of their lives.

My wife's grandfather was one of the invasions transport commanders and he would not talk about it.

[unkus]

The Marines did everything they could to prevent the suicides.

My Dad’s best boyhood friend was a Marine killed on Saipan.

Dad was in India at the time.

[Flag_This]

"Those who witnessed the aftermath of the mass suicide of the women and children who leaped off the cliff were affected for the rest of their lives."

Japanese propaganda told them about all the horrible things the Marines would do to them. Now imagine what may have happened had we not used the Bomb and instead invaded Japan....

[M1903A1]

An especially haunting series of pictures from the suicides was published years ago in Time-Life’s “World War II” series. A family was pacing on the beach, unsure of what to do, as Marines and other civilians were calling out to them not to kill themselves. Out of nowhere, a Japanese sniper shot and killed the two parents as the children ran from the scene (where they were later led to safety by other civilians).

Not mentioned (I read about it elsewhere) was the aftermath...a moment later, the sniper stood up from his position, and was ripped to pieces as every Marine within range opened fire on him.