Reference Entry
BANZAI CHARGE ON SAIPAN
On Saipan in the Mariana Islands, July 7th, 1944 witnessed one of the largest Japanese infantry charges of the Pacific War. In a desperate attempt to break American lines, thousands of Japanese soldiers, along with wounded men and support personnel formed into improvised units, launched a massive banzai attack against positions held by United States Army troops, notably elements of the 27th Infantry Division.
Dated Historical Context
A RECORDED MOMENT IN HISTORY
Banzai Charge on Saipan
On Saipan in the Mariana Islands, July 7th, 1944 witnessed one of the largest Japanese infantry charges of the Pacific War. In a desperate attempt to break American lines, thousands of Japanese soldiers, along with wounded men and support personnel formed into improvised units, launched a massive banzai attack against positions held by United States Army troops, notably elements of the 27th Infantry Division. The assault crashed through forward outposts and even swept over medical and support areas, inflicting heavy casualties on soldiers, medics, and patients. American defenders, including artillery crews and rear-echelon troops, rallied to form new defensive lines and ultimately halted the attack with small-arms fire, machine guns, and direct-fire artillery. The carnage effectively destroyed organized Japanese resistance on the island, though isolated pockets fought on. Saipan’s eventual securement gave the United States airfields within range of the Japanese home islands, shifting the strategic balance of the Pacific campaign.
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