The Beginning of the End (original) (raw)
Chapter
Page
1
Strategic Situation
1
Historical Background
2
Saipan
3
Japanese Defenses
8
Japanese Organization
10
High-Level Planning
13
Casablanca Conference
13
Washington and Quebec Conferences
15
Cairo Conferences
17
Campaign Plan GRANITE
18
JCS Directive of 12 March
20
Command Relations
22
Logistics and Administration
23
Intelligence Information
25
Tactical Plans
27
Training and Rehearsal
30
Movement to the Objective
34
Naval Gunfire and Air Bombardment
35
Related Covering Actions
43
Final Approach of the Northern Attack Force
43
45
Pre-H-Hour Preparations
45
Tanapag Demonstration
47
The Landing
48
RED Beach Action
51
GREEN Beach and Afetna Point
54
YELLOW Beach and Agingan Point
55
BLUE Beach and Charan Kanoa
58
4th Division Tanks Land
60
14th Marines Land
62
General Schmidt's Command Post
64
2d Division Tanks
64
Minor Enemy Tank Thrusts
65
10th Marines' 75mm Pack Howitzers Land
66
2d and 24th Marines Land
66
Darkness D-Day
67
A Noisy and Restless Night
71
Reports--Impending Naval Action
74
77
D-plus 1--16 June
77
Spruance's Decisions
77
6th Marines Consolidate; 8th Captures Afetna Point
79
Remainder of 2d Marines Lands
80
Artillery Build-Up
81
The Push to O-1
81
27th Division Begins to Land
84
Night of 16-17 June--Tank Counterattack
86
D-plus 2--17 June
92
Through Susupe's Marshes
92
The Move to Aslito Airfield
94
More Corps Troops Ashore
96
Night of 17-18 June
99
Japanese Air Strikes
100
D-plus 3--18 June
101
Into the Coconut Grove
102
Drive to the East
102
Seizure of Aslito Airfield
104
Japanese Air Activity
106
Night of 18-19 June
107
D-plus 4--19 June
107
The Approach to Nafutan Point
107
The 4th Division Left Progresses
108
Active Patrolling
108
Artillery Situation
109
Rear Installations
110
Night of 19-20 June
110
Battle of the Philippine Sea
112
D-plus 5--20 June
113
Surge to O-4
114
The Capture of Hill 500
114
Securing the Cliff
115
Punches at the Point
117
Night of 20-21 June
120
D-plus 6--21 June
120
The Pause Before the Northern Push
120
Searching the Swamp
121
". . .Hold Present Front Lines. . ."
121
Night of 21-22 June
123
Summary of Medical Activities to Date
124
126
D-plus 7--22 June
126
Intermediate Objective O-4A
126
To Tipo Pale's Summit
128
Commitment in the Center
131
Night of 22-23 June
132
Japanese Situation
132
Air Activity
133
D-plus 8--23 June
134
The Introduction to Death Valley
134
Operations at Hill 600
136
". . .Focal Points of Combat"
137
Night of 23-24 June
139
Japanese Plans and Actions
140
D-plus 9--24 June
141
To Garapan's Outskirts
141
The Troublesome Cliff
144
To Chacha and Laulau
145
General Ralph Smith Relieved
146
Night of 24-25 June
147
Japanese Thoughts
147
D-plus 10--25 June
148
Kagman Peninsula
148
Failure of a Plan
150
Seizure of Mt. Tapotchau
151
Stalemate at Nafutan Point
155
Night of 25-26 June
156
"There Is No Hope for Victory . . ."
156
D-plus 11--26 June
157
Mop-Up on Kagman Peninsula
157
Colonel Stebbins Takes Over 106th Infantry
158
By-Passing the Pocket
159
"Seven Lives for One's Country"
161
Progress in Unloading
164
Medical Situation
165
Related Raids by U.S. Navy
166
167
D-plus 12--27 June 1944
167
Japanese Situation on D-plus 12
167
Rapid Progress on the Right
168
Important Localities Seized
170
Pinch, Shift, Adjust, Consolidate
171
Night of 27-28 June
174
D-plus 13--28 June 1944
174
Four "Pimples"
175
General Griner Assumes Command of 27th Division
177
"Hold Present Positions . . ."
179
Night of 28-29 June
180
D-plus 14 and D-plus 15 (29-30 June)
180
Waiting and Patrolling
181
Vertical Gap Reduced
181
A Successful Ruse
182
Nights of 29 and 30 June
185
D-plus 16 and D-plus 17 (1-2 July)
186
The Limestone Hill
186
Gaining Momentum
191
The Surge to O-6A
193
Nights of 1 and 2 July
194
Saito Changes His Defense
195
D-plus 18 and D-plus 19 (3-4 July)
196
Garapan Seized
196
The Thrust to Flores Point
201
The Struggle for the Hills
203
Change of Direction
206
Naval Activities from 27 June to 4 July
207
208
D-plus 20--5 July
208
Tanapag Plain
208
From O-7Z to O-8A
210
Night of 5-6 July
212
D-plus 21--6 July
212
The Ditch and the Gulch
212
Expansion of the Front
218
Night of 6-7 July
221
The Banzai Attack
222
The 2d Division's Mop-Up of 8 and 9 July
230
D-plus 22, 23 and 24 (7, 8 and 9 July)
235
To the Shore at Marpi Point
235
Naval Activity
243
The Crowning Horror
245
Maniagassa Island
246
247
Summary
247
Naval Gunfire
247
Air Support
248
Artillery
250
Landing Vehicles
251
Tanks
253
Engineers
254
Signal Communications
256
Logistics
256
Medical
256
Japanese Tactical Lessons
258
Japanese Strategical Summary
259
The Assessment
261
Appendices
I.
263
II.
266
III.
268
IV.
Command and Staff List of Major Units
270
V.
275
VI.
Basic Organization--Higher Echelon Task Forces
278
VII.
279
VIII.
281
IX.
The Last Days of General Saito
283
X.
285
XI.
286