Figure 1.-- The Marines returned brutality with brutality to the Japanese soldiers. The Japanese civilians were entirely a diffrent matter. The tendeness with which the grizzeled Marines treated the civilians, especially the children and eldely is touching--an enduring legacy of the United Stayes Marine Corps. Here Marines tend to a little boy who has probably lost his parents. That is probably his older brother with him. This may be the same little boy in famous newsreel footage of a boy trembling in fear when found by the Marines. The Japanese civilians received food and water and medical care and most importantly protection from the Japanese soldiers forcing then to commit suiside and killing those who refused. The internees were ultimately repatriated to Japan. Unlike Japanese internment camps where internees were starved and brutalized, there were actually more people repatriated from the American onternment camps than actually interned. And they were healthy and gained weight.

The American casualties proved to be surprising low, only 326 killed--astonishing given the size and preparation of the well-armed Japanese garrison. It was not because the Japanese did not fight. As on Saipan and other Pacific islands, the Japanese soldiers continued to fight to the death. Some 5,500 were killed, only 252 were captured. Many of those captured were so badly wounded they could not resist or kill themselves. Some 2,300 Japanese soldiers were missing, left in their destroyed fortifications, or bodies blown to pieces. Tinian at the time of the War, was essentially a Japanese island. The civilan population at the time of the invasion was 15,700 civilans, mistly ethnic Japanese, but including 2,700 ethnic Koreans, but only 22 Chamorros. Some 4,000 Japanese civilians were killed as a result of the pre-invasion bombing or fighting. Many committed suiside rather than allowing themselves to be taken by the Americans. The Japanese military incouraged civilian suiside propagating the propaganda line that they would be tortured by the Americans. Many of those who hesitated were actually murdered by the Japanese defenders [Rottman and Howard, p. 87-89.] Some 13,000 Japanese civilians who survived the invasion and Japanese Army murder operations were interned by the Americans and thus able to survive the War. The Marines returned brutality for brutality to the Japanese soldiers. The Japanese civilians were entirely a diffrent matter. The tendeness with which the grizzeled Marines treated the civilians, especially the childrenband eldely is touching--an enduring legacy of the United Stayes Marine Corps. They Japanese civilins received food and water and medical care. They were ultimately repatriated to Japan. Unlike Japanese internnmnt camps where internees were starved and brutalized, there were actually more people repatriated than interned. And they were healthy and actually gained weight.

Military Casualties

The American casualties proved to be surprising low, only 326 killed--astonishing given the size and preparation of the well-armed Japanese garrison. It was not because the Japanese did not fight. As on Saipan and other Pacific islands, the Japanese soldiers continued to fight to the death. There coukld be no doubt to Japanese commandees as to wghat would happen to their smaller garrison. Given what transpired on Saipan, it was a foregone conclusion what would happen on Tinian. And the Americans intriduced a deadly new weapon--napalm. Some 5,500 Japanese sildiers were killed, only 252 were captured. Many of those who were captured survived only because they so badly wounded they could not resist or kill themselves. Some 2,300 Japanese soldiers were missing, left in their destroyed fortifications, or bodies blown to pieces.

Civilian Casualties

Tinian at the time of the War, was essentially a Japanese island. The civilan population at the time of the invasion was 15,700 civilans, mistly ethnic Japanese, but including 2,700 ethnic Koreans, but only 22 Chamorros. Some 4,000 Japanese civilians were killed as a result of the pre-invasion bombing or fighting. Many committed suiside rather than allowing themselves to be taken by the Americans. The Japanese military incouraged civilian suiside propagating the propaganda line that they would be tortured by the Americans. Hundreds were killed in the crossfire of the battle. Some committed syuiside, or were murdered by the Japanese soldiers to prevent capture by the Americans. 【Prefer, pp. 155–56.】 Many of those who hesitated were actually murdered by the Japanese defenders. 【Rottman and Howard, p. 87-89.】 Some 13,000 Japanese civilians who survived the invasion and Japanese Army murder operations were interned by the Americans and thus able to survive the War. The Marines returned brutality for brutality to the Japanese soldiers. The Japanese civilians were entirely a diffrent matter. The tendeness with which the grizzeled Marines treated the civilians, especially the children and elderly is touching--an enduring legacy of the United Stayes Marine Corps. The 2nd Marine Division as the battle plyed out established a station for civilians at the Ushi Point Airfield. The 4th Marine Division established one on the site of the village of Churo which had been largely destroyed. Churo was decided on as the one permanent camp for the civilians. 【Richard 1957, p. 537.】 All the civilians had been concentrated at Churo (by October). The count at this time was 10, 926, includung Japanese (8,625) and Koreans (2,297). There were also 4 Chinese which may mean Taiwanese. While today there were differences between these groups, at the time they were all from the Japanese Empire most came willingky to Tinian and had no reason to regard the Americans fu=ifferebtly. Almost half of the surviving civilians were children under the age of 15 years. 【Richard, p. 553.】 The civilians received food, water, and medical care. They were ultimately repatriated to Japan and Korea. Unlike Japanese internnmnt camps where internees were starved and brutalized, there were actually more people repatriated than interned because of births. The internees were reurned healthy and had actually gained weight.

Sources

Prefer, Nathan N. The Battle for Tinian: Vital Stepping Stone in America's War Against Japan (Havertown, Pennsylvania: Casemate Publishers, 2012).

Richard, Dorothy E. United States Naval Administration of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Vol. I: "The Wartime Military Government Period, 1942–1945". (Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, 1957).

Rottman, Gordon L. and Howard Gerrard. Saipan & Tinian 1944: Piercing the Japanese Empire (Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2004).

Created: 1:31 PM 11/20/2017
Last updated: 8:17 PM 8/1/2024