Figure 1.--Here U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Charles Monges of Albury offers a cup of water to a thirsty little Japanese girl who wandered out of the woods during the fighting for Tinian (July 29, 1944). Civilians like this little girl were interned by he Marines. Unlike Japanese internnmnt camps where internees were starved and brutalized, there were actually more people repatriated than interned because of births. The Japanese internees were reurned to Japan healthy and had actually gained weight.

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 and most came willingky to Tinian and had no reason to regard the Americans differently. 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: 10:56 PM 8/1/2024
Last updated: 10:56 PM 8/1/2024