Battle of Saipan 1944: Total War in the Pacific (Documentary)

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In June 1944, an armada of warships and landing craft is getting ready for D-Day. Thousands of American soldiers are about to attack a prepared enemy with formidable defenses. But this isn’t Normandy, this is the island of Saipan. And the bloody battle there will bring total war to the Pacific.

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Chapters:
00:00 Why the US Landed on Saipan
01:46 American Plan for Saipan
03:38 Japanese Defenses on Saipan
05:08 Preparations for D-Day on Saipan
06:39 D-Day on Saipan
08:46 Marine Combat Shotguns on Saipan
14:48 Japanese Counterattack
16:30 D-Day Plus 3 on Saipan
17:01 Battle of the Philippine Sea
20:45 D-Day Plus 7-9 on Saipan
22:33 D-Day Plus 11-15 on Saipan
24:10 Japanese Banzai Charge on Saipan
26:46 Civilian Casualties on Saipan
27:57 End of the Battle of Saipan
28:48 Battles of Tinian and Guam
30:04 Epilogue

» THANK YOU TO OUR CO-PRODUCERS
Reed Spilmann, Jim Frame, Erik Ritter, Cardboard, Ken Brownfield, David Garfinkle, Raymond Martin, Konstantin Bredyuk, Lisa Anderson, Brad Durbin, Jeremy K Jones, Murray Godfrey, John Ozment, Stephen Parker, Mavrides, Kristina Colburn, Stefan Jackowski, Cardboard, William Kincade, William Wallace, Daniel L Garza, Chris Daley, Malcolm Swan, Christoph Wolf, Simen Røste, Jim F Barlow, Taylor Allen, Adam Smith, James Giliberto, Albert B. Knapp MD, Tobias Wildenblanck, Richard L Benkin, Marco Kuhnert, Matt Barnes, Ramon Rijkhoek, Jan, Scott Deederly, gsporie, Kekoa, Bruce G. Hearns, Hans Broberg, Fogeltje

» SOURCES
Astroth, Alexander, Mass Suicides on Saipan and Tinian, 1944: An Examination of Civilian Deaths in Historical Context, (Jefferson, N.C : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2019)

Headquarters, Northern Troops and Landing Force, “Report of Marianas Operation Phase I (Saipan)”, 2295-5-25 0125/256, Ser. 0024A, (August 1944)

Hoffman, Carl W, Saipan: The Beginning of the End, (Quantico, VA : Historical Division, US Marine Corps, 1950)

Hornfischer, James D. The Fleet at Flood Tide: America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945, (New York, NY : Bantam Books, 2016)

Ienaga, Saburo, The Pacific War: World War II and the Japanese, 1931-1945, (New York, NY : Pantheon Books, 1968)

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

Rottman, Gordon L., US World War II Amphibious Tactics: Army & Marine Corps, Pacific Theater, (Oxford : Osprey Publishing, 2004)

Rottman, Gordon L. & Takizawa, Akira, World War II Japanese Tank Tactics, (Oxford : Osprey Publishing, 2008)

Symonds, Craig L., World War II at Sea: A Global History, (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2018)X

»CREDITS
Presented by: Jesse Alexander
Written by: Mark Newton
Director: Toni Steller
Editing: Toni Steller
Motion Design: Toni Steller
Mixing, Mastering & Sound Design: http://above-zero.com
Research by: Mark Newton, Florian Wittig
Fact checking: Florian Wittig
Executive Producer: Florian Wittig

Channel Design: Simon Buckmaster

Contains licensed material by getty images, AP and Reuters
Maps: MapTiler/OpenStreetMap Contributors & GEOlayers3
Music Library: Epidemic Sound

All photos and film in our documentaries are authentic historical footage. We do not use generative AI to create new assets. However, we may use AI tools to upscale or clean up certain assets without distorting or compromising the original image.

All rights reserved – Real Time History GmbH 2024

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24 thoughts on “Battle of Saipan 1944: Total War in the Pacific (Documentary)”

  3. Interesting bit on the Model 12. I have one, it is very nicely made, and the slide and bolt move smoothly and with great precision. I have had a Model 97, its predecessor as Winchester's main shotgun offering, and while reliable, it shook and rattled like a coffee can full of rocks while cycling. The Model 12 also has better ergonomics and fits into the shoulder better than the 97.
    I also have a Springfield 1903-A3 dated 1943 and originally built by H&R. My understanding is that it came from US Marine surplus, so evidently some Marines were still carrying the 03-A3 bolt action, and not all had converted to the M1 Garand or Carbine. I have often wondered what service it has seen; perhaps it fought in one or more of the Pacific Islands. It is also very well made (and perfectly restored) and exceptionally accurate. I have shot the 03-A3 in some match rifle competitions, and it held its own with dedicated sniper rifles. It is certainly accurate enough for a squad or platoon marksman role.

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  8. 3:12 Imagine having a rivalry with the guy who's trying to make sure you don't drown or get blown up before making it to the beach. I guess those Army drivers knew exactly how the Navy felt about Marines lol

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  9. My grand uncle was a combat pilot during some point in this battle. He won a bronze star for refusing to return to airfield/carrier until the sky was clear of Japanese planes despite being extremely low on fuel with a damaged plane. My dad and i found this out after going through my grandfathers belongings last year which also revealed my grandfather won a bronze star at the beach landing on Anzio italy for shooting down several german planes who were strafing the units trapped on the beach. My dad never knew any of this because they never talked about the war ever. My grandfather’s last words to my 14 year old dad as he was dying were quote “grab my dog tags”. My dad thinks he was hallucinating at the time and the mental imprint the war had on him showed up in his final moments. I really wish i couldve met these guys i would love to ask them questions if they were willing to talk about it. My 2 grand uncles were combat pilots in the pacific and my grandfather was in north africa, italy and then we think eventually Europe but i have no idea how to find out more information

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  18. Love seeing a colab with royal armories. I’d also highly recommend C&Rsenal if you like old firearms from the conflicts covered in this channel. Real Time History really stands above the rest and I think Johnathan and Othais are up there too.

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  24. 1:12 As a detail: The US didn't so much 'do both' as a strategic decision. King's plan was always better and McArthur's Philines-plan was an egomaniacal thing: he HAD to liberate what he'd been driven from earlier in the war.
    Most understood this, but McArthur was too prominent and politically connected to publicly push aside and ignore. It's that ego and hubris that later got McArthur relieved of command.

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