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Saipan: The Beginning of the End
“The conquest of Saipan was, among Pacific operations up to that time, the most clear-cut decisive triumph of combined arms of the United States over the Japanese.” C. B. Cates, General, U. S. Marine Corps.
Saipan was the last barrier that the prevented the Allied forces from launching their entire military might against the Japanese homeland.
Victory at Saipan was the key which opened the door to the soft underbelly of the Japanese Empire.
Yet, because the Japanese were aware of this vulnerability, they were willing to throw everything they had against the ever-encroaching American forces and fight to the death to defend this island.
Fifteen battleships began their bombardment of Japanese positions on 13 June 1944, they would fire over 165,000 shells onto the island.
Then at 0700 on 15 June 8000 marines travelled in 300 LVTs to land on the west coast of Saipan to begin their assault.
The Japanese high command realized that without resupply the island would be impossible to hold, but they and their soldiers were to fight until the last man.
To make things as difficult as possible for the U. S. marines the Japanese used guerilla tactics to disrupt the offensive and dug themselves in in the mountainous terrain of central Saipan.
Carl Hoffman’s brilliant account of this ferocious battle takes the reader through the course of its duration, from the initial discussion of plans and preparations right through to the eventual victory.
This book is essential for anyone interested in the Pacific theater of war during World War Two and for the huge impact that the marine corps made in some of the bloodiest battles ever to have taken place.
Carl W. Hoffman was a Major General in the United States Marines Corps. He served in World War Two, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. During World War Two he earned the Silver Star and two Purple Heart Medals while participating in operations on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian. His book The Beginning of the End was first published in 1950 and he passed away in 2016.
Saipan was the last barrier that the prevented the Allied forces from launching their entire military might against the Japanese homeland.
Victory at Saipan was the key which opened the door to the soft underbelly of the Japanese Empire.
Yet, because the Japanese were aware of this vulnerability, they were willing to throw everything they had against the ever-encroaching American forces and fight to the death to defend this island.
Fifteen battleships began their bombardment of Japanese positions on 13 June 1944, they would fire over 165,000 shells onto the island.
Then at 0700 on 15 June 8000 marines travelled in 300 LVTs to land on the west coast of Saipan to begin their assault.
The Japanese high command realized that without resupply the island would be impossible to hold, but they and their soldiers were to fight until the last man.
To make things as difficult as possible for the U. S. marines the Japanese used guerilla tactics to disrupt the offensive and dug themselves in in the mountainous terrain of central Saipan.
Carl Hoffman’s brilliant account of this ferocious battle takes the reader through the course of its duration, from the initial discussion of plans and preparations right through to the eventual victory.
This book is essential for anyone interested in the Pacific theater of war during World War Two and for the huge impact that the marine corps made in some of the bloodiest battles ever to have taken place.
Carl W. Hoffman was a Major General in the United States Marines Corps. He served in World War Two, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. During World War Two he earned the Silver Star and two Purple Heart Medals while participating in operations on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian. His book The Beginning of the End was first published in 1950 and he passed away in 2016.
- GenresWorld War IIWarHistory
359 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2018
489 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 30, 2018
This is not a book for a casual reader. The enemy on this island were clever tacticians who made the invaders pay a high price for every bit of real estate as they advanced from the beach to the plains and to the hills ambushed by the caves surrounding what appeared to be easy territory to overrun. General Holland Smith kept warning the high command that the lessons learned here must be taught to the troops who would be invading Iwo Jima and Okinawa and especially Peleliu. The rush to capture the chain that would eventually lead to Japan made the high command think that the might of America would overcome any obstacles the enemy could prepare to fight invaders. The high brass guys thought the enemy was not clever enough to come up with devilish tactics that they constructed from what they learned from the lessons on Saipan. The casualty counts for the Americans went up as they continued to belittle the cleverness of the defenders who were concerned about their homeland's security. It wasn't just a battle to the death. Honor was at stake just like in the Crusades.
August 2, 2018
Tactical Description of the Battle for Siapan
This book could be a military text book. It is written as though the author was standing before a map and plotting the course of the war. Only the names of the commanding officers of the participating units were used.
This book could be a military text book. It is written as though the author was standing before a map and plotting the course of the war. Only the names of the commanding officers of the participating units were used.
July 18, 2019
I detailed military after-action report, and as such, it was interesting. It is a little annoying that it is written without any sense of drama... equal attention is given to a battalion temporarily changing regiments as to a unit receiving 50 causalities in a friendly fire incident. The Kindle edition was also annoying because there was no typographic notation for quotations. You can usually tell when the quotations start, but it is difficult to determine where they end and normal text resumes.
July 24, 2018
Chilling
Not being a member of the military, I had some difficulty understanding some of information given and I wished that I would have had a detailed map of Saipan and symbols of rash unit to better follow the military movements. Overall the book was very informational. I especially like the information o f the enemy's thoughts and movements.
Not being a member of the military, I had some difficulty understanding some of information given and I wished that I would have had a detailed map of Saipan and symbols of rash unit to better follow the military movements. Overall the book was very informational. I especially like the information o f the enemy's thoughts and movements.
June 3, 2019
It anyone doubts the effectiveness of the general staff they must read this book!!.
As a Marine and a 23 year dependant i had known the feeling of the lower troops in regard to the upper levels of leadership. They are sadly mistaken when stacked against the massive planning that went into the Dday action on the ground and in the air.
As a Marine and a 23 year dependant i had known the feeling of the lower troops in regard to the upper levels of leadership. They are sadly mistaken when stacked against the massive planning that went into the Dday action on the ground and in the air.
July 30, 2018
Illuminating saga
Definitely for the avid military analyst. The thoroughness of military analysis becomes a bit tedious for a lay reader. While comprehensive and detailed the attention to minutiae required for the professional military reader is wasted on a casual reader.
Definitely for the avid military analyst. The thoroughness of military analysis becomes a bit tedious for a lay reader. While comprehensive and detailed the attention to minutiae required for the professional military reader is wasted on a casual reader.
May 8, 2019
It's a great military summery
Great book, bottle progress would be understood better if more map outlines were added.
Overhaul a great read and an excellent narrative of the battle.
Great book, bottle progress would be understood better if more map outlines were added.
Overhaul a great read and an excellent narrative of the battle.
March 22, 2019
9 I'mIt is a historic account of the conquest of shipman that should be studied by all.
It is a historic account that in my opinion should be read and studied my all in their quest for knowledge of war Japan .
It is a historic account that in my opinion should be read and studied my all in their quest for knowledge of war Japan .
May 16, 2019
Great book following the entire battle for Saipan. Tends to get over involved in the units in the battle. Would prefer if the author had not written it like a unit battle report. Good reading for those interested in detailed battle reports and how it affected the WWII experience.
September 23, 2018
Battle for Saipan
I'm a history guy and I enjoy reading about the grunt on the ground. They paid a price that we can never imagine.
I'm a history guy and I enjoy reading about the grunt on the ground. They paid a price that we can never imagine.
October 3, 2018
Samoan the beginning of the end
Good book but only covers the operation around Samoan and surrounding seas. It does not cover the operation to take Tinian and Guam actions.
Good book but only covers the operation around Samoan and surrounding seas. It does not cover the operation to take Tinian and Guam actions.
October 20, 2018
Student of war
This is a good book for anyone who is into the tactics of island warfare during WW2. The reading is a bit dry , but well done.
This is a good book for anyone who is into the tactics of island warfare during WW2. The reading is a bit dry , but well done.
January 2, 2019
Books like this that are not based on fiction give you an honest account of what happened in these actions during the second world war.
May 28, 2019
Decisive
This was the place that the Japanese could NOT lose without all hope of overall victory disappearing from their horizon.
This was the place that the Japanese could NOT lose without all hope of overall victory disappearing from their horizon.
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March 5, 2022I'm
June 7, 2018
A must read for those interested in how the military functions.
July 10, 2018
This isn't something written for a popular audience so much as a daily log of which units did what where and to whom.
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July 31, 2018Hard won battle!
Having live on Guam in the 1950 and again in the 1960 I have seen the battle ground that many of the marine s and army soldiers die for. This book is the real story of the brave men who put they live on the line. Good men from both sides gave have their live for what the believe in.The book is must read for anyone who wants to know just how it was fighting in the Pacific.
Having live on Guam in the 1950 and again in the 1960 I have seen the battle ground that many of the marine s and army soldiers die for. This book is the real story of the brave men who put they live on the line. Good men from both sides gave have their live for what the believe in.The book is must read for anyone who wants to know just how it was fighting in the Pacific.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews