The Invasion of Saipan Part 3 of 3 with Jon Parshall-Episode 312

This week Seth and Bill welcome back good buddy Jon Parshall to complete the three-part discussion on the pivotal invasion of Saipan. The team goes into deep detail on the final Japanese martial act on Saipan, the infamous Gyokusai of July 7, 1944. During the Gyokusai, two regiments of the 27th Infantry Division's 105th Infantry Regiment are overrun in the largest banzai charge of the entire Pacific war. The final, last gasp, of the Japanese military on Saipan doesn't end the dying, however. After the Japanese are defeated, thousands of Japanese civilians on Saipan, quite literally, throw their lives away over the cliffs at Marpi Point. The team struggles to get through the absolutely heart-wrenching stories of the needless deaths of the innocent. Tune in and hear the gritty conclusion of the invasion of Saipan during Operation FORAGER.
For all our of our episodes on the Battle for Saipan, check these links out:
• The Invasion of Saipan...
• The Invasion of Saipan...
• The Invasion of Saipan...
• Preparations for Opera...
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[@docspacedad]

I don’t know what we did to deserve three episodes in a row of Jon Parshall’s wall paper, but it’s like having Christmas all month long.

[@PalleRasmussen]

Wallpaper *&* shirt.

[@morganhale3434]

A very tropical Christmas.

[@thehistorybard6333]

Love this comment 😄

[@jtpenman]

Lolol

[@swatdiver1]

Available now from Jon's online shop, free roll of wallpaper with every copy of Shattered Sword. He seriously needs to trademark that wallpaper. 🤣

[@robertwatson9359]

My Dads best friend, Lenny, was one of the artillery men, overrun that morning, he had run out of ammo, pulled a dead friend over himself, was bayonetted through his face knocking out most of his teeth, and he laid there for most of a day, nearly dead, was found when bodies were being recovered. He survived and used to entertain us kids with oral gymnastics with his replacement dentures, but I remember the scars he had from the bayonette had gone through his cheeks and thought about what that must have felt like. He also had a bullet wound that was not severe, he said. I will never forget him as he laughed about realizing that he was standing alone with people running by him to the rear.

[@VideosIn3minOrLess]

I want to stress something we are all thinking. We love Jon. But, what we love is how the show goes with the 3 of you. It’s not just Jon, but how the three of you work together.

[@michaelheather8469]

I agree totally, excellent trio 👌

[@matthewnewton8812]

Very true

[@thomasmoore9673]

Totally agree!

[@Jakal-pw8yq]

Great comment and it really does get down to great chemistry between these three gentlemen

[@markpaul-ym5wg]

I remember hearing a man talk about this battle.He said their were around 5,000 japenese banzi charged them.He had lowered his anti aircraft gun down and he fired constantly.When the smoke cleared,their were 300 enemy dead laying in front of him.He said they knew they were coming,and his platoon leader prepared them the evening before.He said after daylight,japenese had crawled within feet of him,but never got any closer.A lot of his platoon was killed.

[@johnwilson9364]

On the issue of PTS, my dear friend Arthur, who died last year at nearly 100, served with the 2/8th Battalion, Australian Army, in the Middle East and Greece vs the Germans and in the SW Pacific vs the Japanese. Arthur was simply discharged at the end of WWII and left to get on with his life, which he did. He suffered nightmares for many years. His only treatment was that his lovely wife would wake him and say quietly, "Arthur Darling, you're fighting the war again sweetheart." Arthur was a fortunate veteran because he had love and his partner to support him. Many were not so fortunate.

[@robertzimmerman6772]

Class and dignity are the words that come to mind when I think about the job you've done with this episode. A truly horrifying topic is not easily handled as well as you three gentlemen did here. My hat is off to you. Once again, thank you for all that you do.

[@karlryan3781]

When I was a kid "Victory at Sea" and the "World at War" didn't mince words about how bad things had been. They showed the pictures of the people jumping off the cliffs. They showed the Holocaust dead. Now we can no longer see that in many documentaries. Its blurred out on KZbin. It is good that you guys tackle this immensely tough topic. I can only imagine what it must be like to conduct those interviews. Thank you guys and your guests for the stark enlightenment. It is needed.

[@wiktornyckowski]

Just one of many instances how social media like YT / Facebook et consortes censor what you can and what you cannot say. Not only stark imagery is forbidden but also presenting any point of view which does not conform with extreme left perspective, enforced by mainstream media and politicians (of any superficial political orientation - you can only choose between green left, religious left or libertarian left but that's how far the choices go). It's been a long, long time since I've actually seen a live, public person presenting centric or right views and not being immediately censored out to perish somewhere in cold and darkness...

[@silentotto5099]

@@wiktornyckowski All I read was "WAAAA!!! I can't spew white Christian nationalist hate and insanity with impunity!!! WAAAA!!!".

[@AdmiralYeti8042]

I can only imagine the stories that Seth has heard and compiled from the men who witnessed these horrors first hand. Nobody can blame them for not talking about it. It’s not something the human mind can process and just be ok. I quit being a paramedic because of some of the things I saw that I can never un-see, and that is so limited in scope compared to war. My great-grandparent’s generation can never be given enough credit for what they did and saw, much less living through the aftermath of it and getting on with life.

[@henrybecker6927]

Thank you very much for taking the time to create this presentation. It verified a lot of the circumstances that my Father told me about his experience with the Marine Artillery Group in the gap where the center of the Banzi attack occurred. You presentation mirror what he told me. Below is some information about my Father and an interview I had with him. He was a running buddy with John Basilone who what his Gunny Sergeant during basic training. Basilone was featured in the movie, “The Pacific”, and was killed on Iwo Jima. After basic training, my Father with assigned to the 2nd Marine Division. As part of the 2nd, he fought with an artillery regiment on Siapan which included fighting in a Banzi attack. When this was completed, he was transferred or attached to the 3rd Marine Division which were scheduled to attack Guam. Before the Guam invasion, he became part of a group who did a recon of the island before the attack. Another marine shot a Japanese soldier taking a bath in an outside tub and this alerted the Japanese. The hid out in the jungle and my father ate some poisoned fish. He became gravely ill. My Father was almost dead and they air lifted him to Hawaii to recover on 19 July. After spending some time in the hospital, he recovered and was assigned to the 5th Marine Division and participated in the Iwo Jima. After Iwo Jima was complete, his group set sail for Japan. Then the atomic bomb ended the war. My Father was assigned to Sasebo as a military policeman. While there he visited Nagasaki and conclude the atomic bomb did far less damage than the fire bombing of Toyoko. He then exited the Marine Corp and became a farmer in Kansas. Other than this general information about his actual combat. The 5th Marine Division gave him a thick book after the battle of Iwo Jima complete with graphic pictures. At the age of 13 while sitting in a pickup truck warming up on a very cold and windy Kansas day, I decided to ask my father, Henry J. Becker about his experiences with the Marines during WW2 in the Pacific. The questioning was in interview format rather than a father-son discussion. Following is my recollection of how the interview went. Knowing John Basilone Question: What are you most proud of during your time with the Marines? Answer: I am proud of being a friend of John Basilone. He was my Gunny Sergeant at boot camp and I often partied with him in Los Angeles. John Basilone was a Medal of Honor winner and a hero. One time, we went to a party at Humphry Bogarts house. They were playing cards and I stood behind Lauren Bacall watching the game. I went to the kitchen to get a beer and Lauren got up and followed me closing the kitchen door behind her. After turning around after retrieving my beer, she said to me, “Quit look at my T_T_, I know they are too small. After leaving boot camp, I never saw John Basilone again even though we both on Iwo Jima. No Reluctance to Kill. Question: I’ve seen the pictures in the Iwo Jima book. It must really be hard to kill someone. Maybe it gets easy after the first one. Did you have any problems shooting people? Answer: No, it was actually pretty easy. As John Basilone told me, “Henry, we could really shine in China.” Question: What did he mean by shining in China? Answer: It was sport. Question: How many people did you shoot? Answer: That is a question you should not ask. Japanese Atrocities Question: What was the worst wounded person you ever saw? Answer: On Guam, the Japanese tried to behead a woman and did not finish the job. The women lived and he wounds were full of maggots. It was awful. Question: What in the war bothered you the most? Answer: One night on Saipan, the Japanese captured our Company runner who took messages back and forth between the company and the HQ. All night long, we could hear his screams as the Japanese torturing him. The next morning we found the runner tied to a tree and dead. The Japanese cut out his heart while he was still alive. We knew the group that did it and killed them. Worst Firefight Question: What was your worst fire fight? Answer: My worst fight occurred in Siapan when about 4,000 Japanese attacked at onece.. The Japanese attacked with full force in in the middle of the night and it went on til the next day. [This was a Banzi attacks]. There were so many of them that they were overrunning our position. Our Commander ordered the artillery to be shot at point blank range. The artillery shells normally have fuses set so the shell blows up right before it hits the ground. We set fuses so the shells exploded as soon as they left the artillery piece. The Japanese just kept coming and coming and we finally had to retreat. The next day we went back and the dead Japanese bodies were in a piled 6 feet high. [My father began to shake and stared straight forward. The memory must have been horrible.] Question: You must have had some bad experiences on Iwo Jima also. What was your worste experience on Iwo Jima? Answer: The worst memory on Iwo Jima was the cowardice of some of the marines. These very marines non-stop bragged on the shop about what they were going to do to the Japanese. On the beach, they froze and would not move. When they needed to react, they did nothing. As a result, one of my best friends was needlessly killed. I have carried a picture of him in my billfold every day since the incident occurred. (My father pulled the picture out of his billfold and showed it to me.] Flame Thrower Specialist: Question: As an infantry man, I assume you used either a M1 or a machine gun.. What kind of weapon did you use? Answer: (A long pauuses). Yea, I had a machine gun, a BAR. (Later, I learned he was in charge of a flame thrower per his discharge documents) On the Iwo Jima Beach: Question: How was it being pinned down on the Iwo Jima beaches? Answer: The worst hardship was lack of water and the stink of the dead. You get pinned down and cannot move for a long time. Soon your canteen is empty and one becomes thirsty. I was pinned down next to some dead soldiers and though I could retrieve their canteen. Eventually, I retrieved a canteen and the water smelled just like the dead people. Wounded by a Mortar: Question: Were you ever wounded and, if so, do you have a Purple Heart? Answer: Yes, my face was blasted by a mortar and I had to go to the hospital. I broke some bones in my sinuses and the damage is still there. They wanted to give me a purple heart, but, as a Marine, I refused it. That is the way we were. Best Place to Get Shot: Question: If you are going to get shot, where is the worst place? Answer: Stomach wounds are the worst. [I replied that a head would be the worst because you would die]. He said no, a head wound is preferrable to one in the stomach. Better to be a Marine Enlisted than Officer: Question: I assume the officers had a better chance of surviving than the enlisted. Did the junior offices have a high death rate? Answer: The offices had a higher death rate than the enlisted. This included the more senior officers. They Rest on Iwo Jima: Question: The battle went on for a long time. Did they allow you to take a break? Answer: Yes, we were allowed to go to our headquarters for a break; however, it was better to just stay with your group. I went back once and the headquarters was attached and the sergeant shot them all with a shot gun. I rested in a fox hole next to a ridge. The Japanese rolled a grenade into the hole. I woke up immediately and threw it out. It is better just to stay with your group. Working with Other Services: Question: Did you ever work with the Army? Answer: Yes, but we had no respect for them. Every time we took an area, we would turn the area over to the Army. We had to constantly go back and retake the areas. We Marines believed the only real general the army had was General Patton. The other services always got hot food and we were not allowed to eat with them. We had to eat rations.

[@garryschyman99]

Thank you for telling the story of Ben Salomon. I teach at USC and his Medal of Honor can viewed at the Ostrow School of Dentistry building on the USC campus. I bring visitors to the location whenever I can. Thank you all for another great episode!

[@StylinandProfilinBBsandBBQ]

Yeah, that needs to be a movie. Truly a great story.

[@wmrunjr]

I was in Dental School in Dallas in the mid 80’s, and a retired US Army dentist was one of the professors and one day in class, he incorporated this battle and CPT Salomon’s story in such detail, that it has silently frequented my thoughts all these years. What a hero. Gents, your work is greatly appreciated!! Thank you for keeping history alive!!

[@henriyoung3895]

I saw actor Lee Marvin was in the Marine 4th Division, he got shot up badly from MG fire. Was in hospital for a year, learning how to walk again. Thank you guys for awesome work. SGT DOUG

[@jonhenson5450]

Did you happen to know he was pulled to safety by "Bob" who later became Capt. Kangaroo?

[@nkgoodal]

Gents, great episode. Incredible treatment of the topic of the last half hour and the absolute horror it was. As a dad, it absolutely makes me tear up thinking of those kids. As a vet with time in Iraq and Afghanistan, we knew we were not fighting the same type of war our grandfathers fought in the Pacific (mine were there) or ETO. Bill's point on this reflects our feelings while in theater. We idolized those WWII guys, and we still do. Many of us were kind of shocked when Bronze Stars and other awards our grandfathers received were issued for our efforts. PTSD is real. I lost friends in theater and I've lost some to suicide afterward. War changes you. It's easy to minimize our experiences, but it's important to acknowledge them. I really minimize my own experiences(I wasn't infantry), but there are times I have vivid memories that put me right back there. I can feel the dust, hear the explosions, see the tracers arcing toward me, hear bullets landing near me, and I see the faces of my friends and adversaries. I go to alert, then I manage to rationally address that response. My grandfather opened up to me a bit about his experiences in the last few years of his life, in the late 2010s. He'd been a Marine in WWII (on LVTs) and Army officer in Korea. I heard his stories, and I think he told them because I was ready to understand. I did, and my thoughts from the desert were confirmed. He faced incredibly tough fighting and suffering on a different level than I ever did. To hear his very understated stories about being on the islands in the Pacific and being in Korea for Inchon and the Chinese Offensive in 1950 was humbling.

[@rmwoodjr]

Too horrible to witness; too horrible to take your eyes from; too horrible to remember; too horrible to forget.

[@williamjohnston791]

Just amazing work on this channel. These guys well represent the genius of the American people. Inquisitive, honest, humble, patriotic and hard-working, but most of all, volunteering their time to make us all a little better.

[@paulloya5]

Alexander Peña, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian, He was WIA June 17th on Saipan and soon after was KIA July 30th 1944 on Tinian, the Island was declared secured Aug 1st, He almost made it home, R.I.P Uncle Alex, The Greatest Generation of All Time, God Bless America!

[@theironherder]

I wouldn't have thought it possible, but these 3 episodes about Saipan are worse than Episode 9 of Band of Brothers. I'm glad that I watched them once, but never again. Thanks are inadequate because this story has to have been harder on the presenters than on your loyal audience.

[@elwin38]

PTSD is real! My father-n-law served in the US Air Force for 22yrs(1952-1974) during the Vietnam era. He was stationed in Thailand(dont know which base)in the early 70's and he saw the carnage and death of war(both sides) and it traumatized him. He was never the same. He tried therapy, going to school, but it didnt help. He started drinking more and more and sadly in OCT, 1977, he committed suicide.🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@jonparshall]

I am so sorry to hear that. And yes, PTSD is real, and really hard to deal with. RIP.

[@Jakal-pw8yq]

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. PTSD is real and it's so hard to deal with. I was carjacked and kidnapped at gunpoint and held for about 30 minutes while this animal made me drive to a couple of ATMs and ultimately to my bank or he got $900 off me. The whole ordeal was about a half hour and I still have nightmares from it. This happened December 15th 2013.

[@elwin38]

@@Jakal-pw8yq 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@Jakal-pw8yq]

​@jonparshall thank you for the sensitivity and the reverence that you folks deal with on this podcast. Particularly this grizzly battle of Saipan.

[@denniswiemer72]

While this episode tells the compelling story of our fighting men as they turn the page towards victory, the events of the final push of both the Japanese soldiers and civilians really twists the emotions. How you got through this tough episode speaks to the professional story tellers you are. Thanks.

[@tishomingo4524]

Somber but appropriate. How those Soldiers and Marines coped with the horrors of Saipan after the war leaves me without the ability to empathize or relate, it's so staggering. Gentlemen, again you hit it out of the park.

[@richardbennett1856]

I look forward to Tuesday. You 3 are balanced and brilliant together. Realize that this podcast is history as well.

[@chaines01]

I have also had the privilege of seeing the cliffs on northern Saipan. As beautiful as it is it's one of the saddest places I've been. If you know what happened there you can feel that heaviness in the air. The memorials scattered around the area are poignant reminders of the tragedy that occurred there.

[@haroldtiffany5078]

Like most children of those veterans of the Pacific campaign, my father never spoke of his experiences there. I and my brother, both, are retired veterans, we served because he did. Thank you for bringing the emotions forward that cannot be felt when I read about this campaign. Blessing to all three of you. Harold Tiffany, MAJ/MC/USAR/USNR/RET

[@Aodhanlurcher]

My father-in -law, RIP, was a battlefield medic with the 27th Division during the Pacific Campaign and was at Saipan. He never spoke about the war throughout his life until 2 weeks before he died. He said that, of all of the horrors he witnessed, watching those families jumping from the cliffs was the absolute worst thing he ever witnessed and it never left his mind. In addition to Purple Hearts, he was awarded a Bronze Star.

[@jimcaufman2328]

I lived on Saipan and Guam in the 1990 flying Boeing 727s hauling freight and passengers all over the western pacific. On Saipan my apartment was on invasion beach and the view was unbelievable. There was a side street alongside the apartment that went to the beach. I would wander the beach for hours enjoying the sun and surf. One day I hit something with my foot that was buried in the sand. I dug it up and it was a propellor blade from a Zero with a fifty-caliber bullet hole. It was not uncommon to go bonnie stomping and see hundreds if not thousands of bone fragments. On Guam I was commonly invited to beach picknicks at Anderson Airforce base. The beach was a couple hundred feet below the end of the runway. A large number of Japanese also jumped to their death off this cliff. There were still plenty of bone fragments there as well. Of the two islands I enjoyed Saipan the most. Less crowed and very friendly people.

[@Noland55]

Where you with Continental Airlines? I use to fly the island hopper to go to collage.

[@Noland55]

Of course, I didn't learn to spell

[@StylinandProfilinBBsandBBQ]

Balao class Bilge pumps, sounds like a good t-shirt idea for the channel!

[@chuckokelley2448]

An interesting story to help lighting it up My dad was a CB on Saipan on guard duty at night with a B. A. R He had to empty a clip into the kanye grass . Next morning they scattered the area and found a goat. My dad been an enterprising young ozark mountain boy. Took the goat and plained it. And many abandoned little farmhouses were still gardens growing. My dad liberated a few vegetables and took it all and put it in a 5 gallon. Alcohol can with The top cut off Anyway, He was setting out in the garden cooking this stuff for an hour or 2. When a Jeep pulled up with an army captain in it. He looked at the Boiling can and looked at my dad And said O'KELLEY that's a court, martial offense. And if I don't get a cup of it I'll make sure you get one. Since it was about ready, my dad took his cup filled it full and hand did it to the captain. And said here you go, sir.

[@saenole66]

Another superb episode on this monumental action. The input of Jon Parshall is always excellent and adds much to the great work of Seth and Bill. Your labor of love is much appreciated.

[@georgesikimeti2184]

The micro details here are breathtaking,felt like you’re inside the carnage of banzai hopelessness but human being desired to survive and win made the different.The detail analysis here is what this podcast excels above other’authorised podcasts’.

[@jamess7576]

Least fun, yes, but the most important. The world and subsequent generations need to know this. Thank you for doing your part and handling this with dignity and respect.

[@thehistorybard6333]

That banzai charge just blows my mind 🤯 and the cliff-jumpers....utterly horrifying

[@toroon]

I watched video of civilians jumping to their deaths when i was a young man. The true horror didn't really strike me until Seth discussed talking to the vets years later. Carrying that vision for a lifetime should grant one absolute entry into Valhala

[@11bravocrunchie22]

Thanks for such a detailed dive on Saipan. My maternal grandfather was in the 27th ID at Saipan, and he never spoke about the battle, and only briefly about the months after the battle was over.

[@alangreer1142]

Years ago, I was watching a series on the Pacific war and the episode covering Saipan; a younger Jon Parshall used the word "juxtaposition". I had never heard the word before and being a word nerd, I looked up the meaning. Though I've never had the circumstance to use the word in conversation, it perfectly describes this situation!

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Putting your comment in juxtaposition with other things Jon has said indicate he knows his stuff.

[@jonparshall]

That was the Netflix series "The Road to Victory," and yeah, I used some of the same phraseology on that that I used here in describing the beauty of the terrain and the horrors there.

[@alangreer1142]

Would love to attend one of your lectures, do you have an itinerary for next year?

[@jonparshall]

@@alangreer1142No, I don't, honestly. I rarely travel except on tour for the Museum, and don't really do formal lectures. Your best bet is right on this channel. 🙂

[@nickd576]

You guys can keep bringing Jon back as often as he is willing.

[@jammininthepast]

Seth, Captain Toti and Jon, thank you very much for your work. You're appreciated.

[@edmundmcalister119]

Another superb treatment of a tough, tough fight. The more I learn about Holland Smith, the more I like my dog. Service pride is one thing - all of us who've served have it - but Smith took his to the level of chauvinism and blind bitterness. Fun fact that may (or may not) explain something about him: he initially applied for an Army commission, and didn't get it.

[@robertdendooven7258]

I have to go off-topic a bit and thank Jon Parshall for his participation in a panel on Adm. Nimitz at the WW2 Museum in New Orleans on Dec. 8. I also saw Bill in a later panel asking a question about African American sailors on the USS Indianapolis.

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

All three of us were there all weekend.

[@lakeman_gj]

This is ordinarily fabulous episode! :) I am happy that you use term of Gyokusai (玉砕) instead of "Banzai charge" (which is term created by americans). In Japanese-English dictionary Gyokusai is explained as "Honorable Death". Terryfing thing... As to general Saitō's suicide, some sources say that he was too sick and therefore unable to participate in attack. True or false - hard to say. Thank you for knowledge-wealthy podcast and looking forward to watching episode about Battle of Philippine Sea. 👍

[@kemarisite]

The explanation of the term I had heard, which is consistent with the definitions offered during the program, is of a priceless gem being shattered into pieces.

[@lakeman_gj]

@@kemarisite If you translate those kanji separated, then yes, "shattered gem" would be probably the proper meaning. But they shouldn't be treated separated in this context. For example it is the same with 空母 (Kūbo). Translating these kanji separately it would be sky + mother. But 空母 is one word, and the only meaning is "aircraft carrier", not "sky mother" ;)

[@timothybrady2749]

Thank you for yet another informative and absolutely riveting presentation. The discussions and analysis of issues explored in your podcast is a treasure. Your positive contribution to the history of these events is enormous. We all appreciate your hard work bringing us these presentations.

[@denniscahill9683]

My father never really recovered from seeing it here -- and on Okinawa.

[@jimgrundy1278]

Sobering isn't the word. Thank you for telling this story.

[@iratespartan13]

Excellent military history, good story telling, but most importantly gentlemen, you present the cost of war to soldiers and civilians alike with humanity. I'm here for the duration.

[@tonybanke3560]

You three are awesome together. Jon adds so much

[@fettfan91]

Truly one of the darkest chapters of the war, lest we forget. Thank you to the panel for treating it with such respect and appreciation.

[@jamesharper7661]

It's 3am in AZ. Time for my favorite blog!

[@richardmardis2492]

Mesa, Arizona is up and at ‘em at 3 am too👍

[@dboconnor57]

It’s a quiet 5am here in Boston, and I’m sitting up in bed with a drink and a snack. Hope you’re having a great morning!

[@kilcar]

Certainly, the most sobering episode. My good friends, the Yanamini family, were mercifully emigrated from Okinawa in the late 1920's living in California and Oregon in the " Truck Farm " industry. These sweet people gave birth to a daughter, born at Manzanar Relocation Camp in California. Although interred in spartan conditions, they survived the Easter Holocaust of the Pacific War.

[@davelane4055]

Damn right proud of y'all

[@jimmyj422]

This episode is about as sobering as it gets. The total brutality is absolutely crazy. I couldn't imagine living through it and having to carry that with you the rest of your life.

[@douglaskillock3537]

A dark ending to this this trilogy but these were the events. Still covered with sensitivity. Well done gentlemen

[@user-to9bv8eh5d]

I enjoy your show and can't wait to find the quiet time to sit and watch. I just recently found a series of shows called the history traveler that did a series of videos on Saipan that does a great job of showing what the terrain and vegetation is like. It supplied a lot of clarity to what Seth Bill and John are talking about.

[@stephenlawyer3031]

I must say that I have watched every episode and am great-full for the factual presentation of each and every one. Thank You and keep up the good work.

[@alexkalish8288]

Benny Saloman was one tough Jew, reminds me of my dad - joined the 24th division in 1939, fought in the Pacific as an inf. sgt. , he was on one of the machine guns on the drinamau? river where they had a similar attack but with no line collapse.. Later trained and was in the Alamo Scouts - you are the best in Pacific Theater by a large margin. .

[@ycloon]

Thank you for doing this, gentlemen. A heavy topic, but necessary.

[@smanderville1]

Excellent episode! You all are great!

[@sb5580]

1:26:00 My dad never did talk much about the war, but he did say that after he had came back from Germany, that hearing about the atomic bomb on Japan was one of the happiest days of his life, because after that he knew then his division wasn't going to be sent to Japan. This episode well explains the dread of having to invade Japan among the troops.

[@devjaxvid]

Thank you for presenting such a well balanced presentation. War is indeed Hell.

[@StylinandProfilinBBsandBBQ]

Darn you whoever edited this video and put that little child at the end! I had held it together given the heavy topic you men discussed concerning the civilians but when that little child ended the episode I broke like a damn. Another great episode gents. A tough one but great!

[@jonparshall]

As you saw, I didn't manage to completely hold it together. The cliffs are just horrible.

[@josephmajewski9241]

They blew through the line" like shit through a tin horn" is immediately what I thought when Seth was describing the gyokasoi attack

[@birddog7492]

Like a dose of salts.

[@CraigMommer]

You are absolutely right when you talk about the impact of WW2 on our troops. Getting my friends to talk to me about this was very hard. One thing I was told was that the military knew about the impact of the years of fighting on our soldiers and made some attempts to keep and watch them before being sent home. My friends who served in the 184th Inf Regiment were sent to Fort Lewis, WA to be observed for some time. Watching your programs give me some of the impact of what they must have gone through. Thanks for what you are doing!

[@kentiffany8872]

Thank you

[@peterrogers3033]

Gentlemen: Many thanks for this and the other episodes in this series. I value deeply the knowledge and integrity of Seth and Captain Bill and their contributors-all first rate-Jon Parshall and John McManus are superb. I have such gratitude for the sacrifice of the American serviceman and servicewomen, allies and the arsenal of democracy at home. The loss of so many Japanese soldiers and civilians is a shame for humanity. Such is the result of the militarization of Japanese society after the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Well done, gentlemen. Peter, the son of a WWII Marine combat officer.

[@TheDoctorMonkey]

Thank you for covering this really difficult topic so sensitively and appropriately

[@SchuylerMoore-kv6hz]

I just listen to the podcast series, and it is the best ever. The two main presenters do a fantastic job of making it live and interesting, and they work perfectly with their guests. I can't get enough of this series, and I listen to a LOT of different podcasts.

[@mxrc179]

Thank you for bringing dignity to a topic requiring clinical analysis and candor presented humanely.

[@mflashhist500]

Gents, congratulations on one of your finest episodes. The informative yet respectful way you dealt with a very difficult and emotive subject does you immense credit. Your remembrance and honouring of the tragic lives lost and sacrifices made on both sides is what true military history is about.

[@rctbandit88]

Finished episode two on the drive to the gym this morning, and as I get ready to head to work episode three gets released. Excellent timing, gentlemen!

[@wonderbreadmodelsandhistor1566]

I have no words Thank you guys for work here. I imagine it wasn’t fun

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

It was not

[@gregcollins7602]

Great job gentlemen. I don't think you could have done anything different or better than y'all did with this extremely disturbing episode on Saipan. I have read several books on this battle and find it tugging at my heart every time. Well done.

[@keithdavis9897]

My Dad was in the 106th.....on an artillery piece and he said the 105th came running back into their position. He simply said they reconstituted.........regrouped and went back after the Japanese and obiliterated them. He was firing canister ammo at body level and bodies were exploding. There were 43,000 Marines and only 16,000 Army, but 3 Medal of Honor winners in the 105th and 4 amongst the Marines. Yes, the 27th got a bad and unfair rap. He talked for years about the disorganization and rivalry of the branches. Your explantion of The Battle of Saipan is AMAZING !!!!!!

[@ronaldfinkelstein6335]

Four or five hundred in the Banzai charge? That is off by an order of magnitude! No wonder they kicked Holland Smith upstairs, and denied him a future combat command!

[@jeffreymartin8448]

"Darker than 3 Ft. down a cow's throat." I admit, it took me more than a few seconds to pull myself up off the floor after that one.

[@brucepeters6748]

Thanks guys your show has been a revelation to me week by week walking thru the PTO. I had no knowledge of the terrible things that happened on Saipan. As disturbing as these events are we need to know them to understand. The warping of an entire nation like Japan. It also reinforces to me just how precious our western civilisation is and the way it limits the excesses of the worst parts of our human nature. Keep up the brilliant work.

[@MrFrikkenfrakken]

The study of military history is fascinating regarding the science, strategy and tactics employed but in the end people die and not all of them are combatants. A tough topic well handled in a professional and sensitive manner. And I must add the last clip of the little girl obviously scared/hurt brought it home perfectly.

[@teamshaboobalu2887]

The final Saipan Banzai Charge reminds me of the Attu Island Banzai Charge. Where the Japanese found a big gap in the American Lines & took advantage of it.

[@williamharvey8895]

You guys are awesome

[@kirktempleton4628]

In the 1970's and 1980's, I studied traditional Japanese swordsmanship with Sensei Takahashi Eichii, who was himself a World War 2 veteran of the Imperial Army's Air Forces (and, yes, he used to fly with his sword alongside him in the cockpit). He was insistent that the behavior of the Japanese Army on Saipan and elsewhere, far from being a true expression of bushido, the samurai tradition, was in a fact a disgraceful betrayal of its ethos, and he was deeply moved by the attempts of the American marines and soldiers to save the lives of Japanese civilians -- sometimes at risk to their own -- and had nothing but the highest admiration and praise for the American warrior spirit that he felt this displayed. Sadly, he was deeply troubled by the reports of My Lai and other killings of civilians that occurred during the Vietnam war. "What has happened to the greatness of the American spirit? The spirit of Saipan?" He would ask. We, his students, had no answer to give. American arms performed many terrible deeds during the Second World War. I think it is impossible to wage war without doing them. As William Tecumseh Sherman said: "War is cruelty and you cannot refine it." Nonetheless, I think that these episodes especially can remind us that, as the story of the Marine and the little Japanese girl illustrates, even the midst of the horror and ferocity of the Pacific war, our fighting men and women essentially managed to retain their humanity. For that, they are exemplars for us, just as much as for their dauntless and incredible courage. So thanks to you, Seth, Bill and John, for spending so much time on this somber yet important topic, and for the decouressness and care with which you have done so.

[@marcbondi8462]

Even the gunfire support ships at sea witnessed the horror of the ending on Saipan. I remember the diary account from a sailor on USS Montpelier, noting the bodies and body parts floating by their ship. We forget today the increasing barbarity that went on as the war drew to a close.

[@davidbrian2570]

Good morning from SC I'm in my hunting stand and watching quietly! Thank you Gents for this effort on a crucial/tough battle!

[@DalonCole]

I’m watching from my stand in Texas 😂😂😂

[@davidbrian2570]

Any luck? I've been skunked all year and we end season on January 1st!

[@DalonCole]

@@davidbrian2570 Meat in the freezer? tons. We see 40-50 deer every sit>. Not the trophy I want though.

[@morganhale3434]

Awesome!!!

[@kensvay4561]

They thought that Guadalcanal was hell but Jon’s wallpaper is a horror show. I will be suffering from PTSD soon. These island operations were so difficult, people have no idea.

[@brushhogg1]

The thing that makes this podcast my absolute favorite is that once again my conceptions have been changed. I always got the impression that all these post Guadalcanal invasions were costly, but once commenced were a matter of course. I keep finding out from Seth and Bill that many times it was a close thing, and many times we blundered through no matter how hard we tried to f it up... Btw our Unauthorized Club calls Parshall "The Destroyer" for decimating some of our shared heroes like Fuchida, Mitcsher, Carlson... we yell at the monitor and pelt John with empty mountain dew cans...and we have mixed feelings about the wallpaper...

[@kemarisite]

A little disappointed the podcast did not mention the holdouts under Sakae Oba, who would not surrender until 1 December, 1945.

[@bobsmith4185]

Seth .bill & jon thank you!!

[@petestorz172]

Thank you for your discussion of the suicides at the cliffs. Dachau is similarly haunting, surrounded by beautiful trees and grasses, but the sense of horror of what happened there ...

[@theeducatedgrunt2087]

The Marines outright lied and dishonored the Soldiers of the 7th Infantry division in the exact same manner at the Chosin Reservoir in Korea.... and they still tell young Marines this nonsense to this day... it Pisses me off...

[@frankrosati6403]

Thank you again for telling the truth

[@DannyKaffee]

The best part of my Tuesday.

[@bjohnson515]

Well done gentlemen. More maps.

[@markwiese1165]

As Sherman said “War is hell.” For civilians as well as combatants.

[@danasmith3288]

Yes, and he made it that way.

[@williampockets]

Need this today thank u for being present and accounted

[@dannylong3590]

You guys and your gest are the best. Keep up the good work.

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Thanks so much!

[@user-hw1qo2mu9e]

Thank you Bill Seth and Jon y'all are always amazing thank you for covering these events honestly even if it's awful it's important history.

[@misterbaker9728]

Much love and respect from Cleveland

[@colleenmonfross4283]

Stellar review of the events of Saipan, thank you.

[@birddog7492]

These three episodes put a lot of order to these events for me. Thank you.

[@3nheaven]

Very good gentlemen. Well said and well done.

[@billechols7136]

Great show gentlemen.

[@PhilGreeleyJR]

Incredible episode as always Simply the Best show

[@OMMgreenshirt]

Thank you gentlemen for bringing out the real human aspect tragedies that occurred by all sides. I have never served in the military and I am trying to learn to better understand but I will never attain that "feel" of realism that you have to experience to understand. My father served in the US Navy aboard USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) during the Okinawa campaign. He would tell me stories to a point. When I was a kid my father was exchanging stories with a war buddy. Dad mentioned he volunteered to help with the "clean up" after the May 11, 1945 Kamikaze attack. The killed pilots bodies in a hallway outside the ready room that needed to be identified and removed. Dad was 21 years old then. He was not wounded but then it came to me how some of his humanity was ripped from him of what he helped to do. While growing up, I didn't understand why dad would fly off at the handle for no good reason but now I do. Again, thanks guys for sharing a difficult event and keeping the bark on.

[@BlitherVids]

I look forward to every episode, and this one was no different. Apologies for the heavy content aren't necessary though -- you guys successfully gave this chapter all the reverence it deserved.

[@Jakal-pw8yq]

This certainly was a rough episode and I appreciate the way you all handled the topic with the respect and reverence that it deserved. It certainly was a harbinger of things to come in the way that the Japanese were going to fight this war until the bitter end. And anybody that thinks that those atomic bombs should not have been dropped really needs to go back and study, and I mean really deeply study the events leading up to those two events. Taken in the context of 1945. To me there was no other option but to drop those bombs. The Japanese with their ridiculous code of Bushido had to have a demonstration of our power at that point during the war. I don't discount that the Soviets attacking Manchuria had something to do with it but I firmly believe that Hirohito seeing two of his cities completely flattened with hundreds of thousands of civilians, pows, and military personnel killed instantly had to have some effect even on that psychopath. And I really do think that Hirohito was a psychopath that surrounded himself with people of his ilk. Same thing with Hitler, surrounding himself with psychopaths, sociopaths murderers and the worst of the worst. It was no different with Hirohito. Personally I think he should have been tried as a war criminal and hung. But politics being what they are, with the Iron Curtain slamming down and the Cold War on I guess that's the excuse they wanted to use. I think if you asked the hundreds of thousands of servicemen that fought in the Pacific what they thought about that, and I think that they would agree that Hirohito should have been swinging from the end of a rope.🇺🇲⚓️💯💖☕️