Battling for Saipan

Customer Reviews:

Rebuttal to Reader from Texas.......2004-06-07

Like your Reader from Texas, I am not a marine but I have read many books about the war in the Pacific and the Smith vs. Smith incident.

HM Smith was not one of the great captains of WWII. As Professor Harry Gailey points out in "Howlin' Mad Versus the Army", Saipan was the first and only time HM Smith ever had hands on responsibility for troops in battle. He did not conduct a very brilliant campaign. He constantly underestimated the strength of Japanese resistance on the island, made his plans based on his underestimates, and then blamed the Army Division and its Commander, MG Ralph Smith, when his plans did not work.

The 27th Infantry Division was the most unfairly maligned unit of WWII, Its commander, MG Ralph Smith was the most unfairly vilified leader of WWII. This happened because the Marine Corps and its advocates needed to create and maintain the legend that HM Smith was a great captain, needed to explain away HM Smith's less than brilliant performance on Saipan.

This book, while not a thoroughly researched as Edmund Smith's 27th ID's History or Professor Gailey's "Howlin' Mad Versus the Army", it is an honest attempt to tell the correct history, that the 27th ID fought hard and fought well on Saipan.

Injustice and Honor in War.......2003-11-15

I've often wondered over the years how justifiable Howlin' Mad Smith's relief of Ralph Smith was during the battle for Saipan. I've suspected that there was more to the issue than meets the eye and that Holland Smith may have had more of a point to prove than cause for action. O'Brien's book points solidly in that direction although his perspective has to be skewed toward the 27th and I believe that he wrote the book starting from that viewpoint. However the most moving and impressive part of this account for me was the details of the heroism of Sgt. Thomas A. Baker. I first encountered his story in an obscure internet tribute one Veteran's Day a few years back. Reading his citation I wondered what kind of man could be capable of such feats. O'Brien's history contains more details of this remarkable soldier than I've found elsewhere, but still left me yearning to find out more about him. Who knows, maybe someday I'll write his definitive history!

A Moving Apology.......2003-09-22

I found Francis O'Brien's work on the 27th Division to be moving account of an army unit that served its country well at the expense of criticism. His account of the 1st battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, was especially touching, and, I feel, deserves mention along with other memorable units of WWII.

However, I do agree that O'Brien's work does lack much objectiveness at the expense of defending the reputation of the 27th Division. This was essentially the purpose of his book, and there are certainly more objective accounts of the 27th to be found elsewhere, some of whom O'Brien refers to in his book.

Nonetheless, I found this book to be an enjoyable read and quite a service to those who fought and died with the "New York Division" in WWII.

As O'Brien states at the end of his preface: "I trust I have shown that [the families'] fathers, sons, uncles, and brothers served their country honrably and well in WWII."

It was OK but ...........2003-07-12

This book was interesting but it had several flaws. It was a basically a defense of the army's 27th Infantry Division during the Saipan invasion during the Pacific war. It was at Saipan where the 27th did not measure up to marine units.

The author claims to be objective but I find that difficult to believe. He is writing about his own Uncle, William O'Brien. He was also writing about the 27th Infantry Division, a national guard unit which consisted of men from his own home town and area. I detected a bias in defense of the 27th and a bias against Marine General "Howlin Mad" Smith who relieved 27th Division commander General Ralph Smith.

The author claims that this was the one and only battle where army troops fought under the command of the a marine general. This was untrue. Army units fought successfully under marine General Vandergrift at Guadalcanal in 1942, under marine General Geiger at Peleliu in 1944, and briefly under Geiger again at Okinawa in 1945. The author blames marine command for many of the 27th's problems but has a shaky arguement.

The author also defend the 27th divison as "one of the best trained units in the Pacific". I have read many other books and many other authors do NOT share this opinion of the 27th. Many other authors have a much lower opinion of the 27th. In fact, at Okinawa in 1945, an army general withdrew the 27th from the main battle and sent it to the rear for "garrison duty". Let's be realistic and honest. Not all members of the armed forces in WW II were "the elite". Units differed in quality. Some units were excellent and some were of lesser quality.

Note: I am NOT a marine but just someone who has read many books on this subject.

Very informative.......2003-04-29

Mr. O'Brien gives a vivid detail of the 105ths movements from the landing on the beaches of Saipan to the final evacuation from the Gyokusai attach in Tanapag. He follows his uncle Lt. Col. William J. O'Brien from battle to battle all the time merging stories of the hundreds of other men who fought along side him. Giving an almost play by play of scirmishes from survivors stories. I couldn't put it down. I will never Hash through the jungles here the same way again! Infact, I went to the memorial and looked for his name of the thousands that are there and I found it. As you look at it you face to about the appoximate location of Tagapag village.

On to Westward: The Battles of Saipan and Iwo Jima (Great War Stories)

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On to Westward: The Battles of Saipan and Iwo Jima (Great War Stories)
Robert Sherrod
Manufacturer: Nautical & Aviation Publishing Company of Ame
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1877853003

Saipan: Oral Histories of the Pacific War

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Outstanding with Wonderful Personal Touch
War, up close and personal
In their own words...

Saipan: Oral Histories of the Pacific War
Bruce M. Petty
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Battling for Saipan

ASIN: 0786409916

Book Description

The battle for Saipan is remembered as one of the bloodiest battles fought in the Pacific during World War II, and was the turning point on the road to the defeat of Japan and the end of the war. The island was a blaze of fire and steel for over three weeks in the summer of 1944. Visible reminders of the devastation still exist-one can find human remains scattered on the jungle floor or in caves throughout the island. Emotional reminders still exist as well, for both the soldiers and the civilians who survived the battle. In this work, the survivors of Saipan-including Pacific Islanders on whose land the Americans and Japanese fought their war-have the opportunity to tell their stories in their own words. The author introduces the volume with a history of Saipan and arranges the oral histories by location: Saipan, Yap and Tinian, Rota, Palau Islands, and Guam.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding with Wonderful Personal Touch.......2002-03-07

I've always had an interest in the Pacific front and I find this book a wonderful edition to the previous books I have read. What I really like is the way the author brings in the personal stories. You can tell that Bruce Petty is a compassionate person who cares about the subject AND the people he writes about. I hope to see more work by this author and will definitely buy his next book.

War, up close and personal.......2002-01-06

Bruce Petty does a wonderful job of drawing people out and letting them tell their own stories about the battle of Saipan, which was one of the fiercest in World War II's Pacific Theatre. The narrators include both residents of Saipan whose peaceful existence was shattered by the war and American military men who came away from the fighting changed forever. All the survivors seem well aware that only blind luck separates them from those who perished. This book is a timely reminder that even a just war is truly Hell.

In their own words..........2001-12-14

Very interesting book...

As host of Chamorro. com, I've received literally hundreds of inquiries re our Mariana Islands, Chamorro culture and tradition, our language and on and on. The Pacific War is of particular interest.

Book Description

In June 1944 the attention of the nation was riveted on events unfolding in France. But in the Pacific, the Battle of Saipan was of extreme strategic importance. This is a gripping account of one of the most dramatic engagements of World War II. The conquest of Saipan and the neighboring island of Tinian was a turning point in the war in the Pacific as it made the American victory against Japan inevitable. Until this battle, the Japanese continued to believe that success in the war remained possible. While Japan had suffered serious setbacks as early as the Battle of Midway in 1942, Saipan was part of her inner defense line, so victory was essential. The American victory at Saipan forced Japan to begin considering the reality of defeat. For the Americans, the capture of Saipan meant secure air bases for the new B-29s that were now within striking distance of all Japanese cities, including Tokyo.

Customer Reviews:

Saipan as the Turning Point for Japan.......2007-10-07

The importance of the capture of Saipan is two-fold. First, to most Japanese military strategists, Saipan represented the outermost reaches of the defenses of the Japanese Empire itself. Thus, its loss meant that it would only be a question of time before Japan itself was invaded and all was lost. Second, to the Allies, Saipan represented air bases from which the new B-29 planes could reach and bomb Japanese cities, including, and especially, Tokyo.

"D-Day in the Pacific" is an extremely well-written account of the actions and politics leading up to the decision to invade Saipan (and Tinian, adjacent to it), including the clash of wills between Admiral King and Gen. MacArthur, the strategies and tactics of the invasions (e.g., the separate landings by the 2nd and 4th Marine divisions), the major personalities involved on both sides, and the battles on the islands, including the well-known suicidal tactics of the Japanese, as seen not only from the perspective of the commanders but the front line troops as well. Numerous photos are also included.

Great book on Pacific war.......2007-06-09

This book is a great overview on one of the lesser known battles of ww2. there is a lot of background information on the saipan and the events leading up to the invasion. recommended reading for anyone who would like to know more about saipan

National Security and Self-Determination: United States Policy in Micronesia (1961-1972)

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Answers, finally.
Answers, finally.
Answers, Finally.
Highly Recommended
Everything you wanted to know about US policy in Micronesia

National Security and Self-Determination: United States Policy in Micronesia (1961-1972)
Howard P. Willens , and Deanne C. Siemer
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Marshall Islands | Australia & Oceania | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0275969142

Book Description

After World War II, the United States assumed responsibilities for the Northern Mariana Islands, the Caroline Islands, and the Marshall Islands under a 1947 trusteeship agreement with the United Nations. The United States had the obligation to prepare these Micronesians for self-government or independence after termination of the trusteeship, but the Interior, State, and Defense Departments paid little attention to this question until 1961. Willens and Siemer examine the Kennedy administration's formation of a new Micronesian policy aimed at bringing these islanders under U.S. sovereignty by 1968, the inability of the federal agencies to achieve this objective, and their refusal to acknowledge that the Northern Marianas people had very different economic and political aspirations than the other Micronesians. By 1969, the Micronesian leaders--except for those of the Northern Marianas--were increasingly attracted to a future political status that rejected United States citizenship and had most of the attributes of a sovereign nation-state. Willens and Siemer analyze the initial negotiations between United States and Micronesian representatives, the inability of the United States to respond positively to the demands of the Micronesian negotiators, and the national defense and strategic objectives at issue. By April 1972, the United States recognized that its non-fragmentation policy conflicted with the right of self-determination of the Northern Marianas people and agreed to separate status negotiations with them. A detailed review of recent Micronesian history that will be of considerable value to U.S. government officials involved with insular affairs and foreign policy and scholars and researchers of Micronesian, Pacific islands, and Marianas affairs.

Customer Reviews:

Answers, finally........2000-10-07

So much of what happened during the political development of Micronesia now come to light as a result of this well researched book. Until now, much of what transpired during the political status negotiations required tedious search in US government archives and the Library of Congress. That is if the documents were declassified. This book is insightful.

Answers, finally........2000-10-07

Answers, Finally........2000-10-06

So mucy of what happened during the political development of Micronesia now come to light as a result of this well researched book. Until now, much of what transpired during the political status negotiations required tedious search in US government archives or the Library of Congress (if unclassified). Insightful!

Highly Recommended.......2000-09-07

I speak as one who has lived in the Northern Mariana Islands for more than thirty years, and who had a role in the events (I was one of those who were interviewed) and who knew and worked with many of the central figures involved in them. Willens and Siemer have written a thoroughly researched and historically accurate work, and one which I enjoyed reading immensely -- as will anyone interested in this corner of the Pacific.

Everything you wanted to know about US policy in Micronesia.......2000-08-19

Excellent and comprehensive review of US policy in Micronesia during a key period in its history. Fascinating insights into the relationships that influenced policy development. Thorough and scholarly research that should be a classic in years to come.

Howlin' Mad Vs. the Army : Conflict in Command, Saipan 1944

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rebuttal to charles ziembo
Good, but not the whole story
A Good Case Study in Interservice Malrelations
THE TRUTH AT LAST
The Dismissal at Saipan Revisited.

Howlin' Mad Vs. the Army : Conflict in Command, Saipan 1944
Harry A. Gailey
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0891412425

Customer Reviews:

rebuttal to charles ziembo.......2005-08-20

Charles ziembo misses the point of why Professor Gailley wrote this book. Prior to "Howlin' Mad Versus the Army", people who wrote about Saipan accepted HM Smith's version of Saipan as the one true version of Saipan. No one ever cited any Army source, such as Edmund Love's history of the 27th Infantry Division or tried to talk to any Army officer involved in the incident.

As Professor Gailey points out, HM Smith had never commanded troops in battle prior to Saipan, made a number of errors on Saipan, and blamed the Army Division and its Commander for everything that went wrong on Saipan.

Good, but not the whole story.......2005-03-25

I read this book right after I had read "A Fighting General" by Norman Cooper, a bio of General Holland Smith. Mr. Gailey's book is a fine description of both Generals Smith and the problems and bad feelings between the army, navy and marines in the pacific during the war. However, I found Mr. Gailey tended to favor army general Ralph Smith's side over that of general Holland Smith. Perhaps this was due to the author's having had the chance to personally interview Ralph Smith but not Holland Smith. Gailey's admiration for Ralph Smith is apparent throughout the book. If you wish to get both sides of this story and learn the real reason Holland Smith relieved the army general I recommend Dr. Cooper's bio of Holland Smith. He devotes many pages to the controversy and presents both sides of the argument. Both books are well-worth the read. And, if you're really into this, by all means read Holland Smith's "Coral and Brass."

A Good Case Study in Interservice Malrelations.......2004-11-21

I first learned of this book as a History Book Club selection almost 20 years ago, although I didn't purchase it at the time. Oddly enough, the subject of the dispute over the relief of Army General Smith on Saipan by Marine General Smith is discussed of all places in David Hackett Fischer's excellent book on American cultural patterns, Albion's Seed, which I recently read. My interest was heightened when I checked the short treatment of the episode in Forrest Pogue's authoritative biography of General Marshall. As a result, I obtained Gailey's book in used form and I wasn't disappointed.

More than the extensive treatment of the tactical issues involved in the relief, I was fascinated by the author's fine discussion of the interservice differences and problems of command and coordination. In the Smith-Smith conflict, these were much exacerbated by the choleric temperment of Marine Gen. Smith as contrasted with the more phlegmatic disposition of his Army subordinate. Gailey is quite clearly a partisan of Army General Ralph Smith, but always states his case fairly and with abundant evidence and documentation. Importantly, Gailey never allows his arguments to degenerate into an attack on the Marine Corps, although he decidedly sees Gen. Holland Smith's overidentification with his own branch of service as a marked handicap in his ability to credibly handle large units from both services optimally.

Two individuals who receive notable secondary praise are General Marshall and Admiral Nimitz, each of whom approached the dispute reasonably and temperately in an effort to contain its explosive adverse potential and prevent future recurrences to the detriment of the war effort. This is contrasted with the author's view of Admirals King, Spruance and Kelly Turner (and perhaps General Richardson), each of whom is portrayed as engaging in partisan turf protection, although in Richardson's case, justifiably so. Reading Howlin' Mad vs. the Army led me to appreciate how much better interservice relations have been managed since 1944 by MacArthur (in both the latter part of the Pacific War and Korea) and Gen. Schwartzkopf in the First Gulf War. There is a fundamental difference of philosophy and many attitudes among the Army and Marine Corps, but cooperation is as possible as it is necessary. Harry Gailey's book demonstrates what can happen when that necessity falls victim to other considerations, particularly service chauvinism.

THE TRUTH AT LAST.......2003-05-10

Harry Gailey has authored an articulate expose, really, which peels away the years of distrotion and myth that have grown out of this unfortunate incident (the Smith vs Smith controversy, in which Marine Lt General Holland Smith relieved his subordinate, Major General Ralph Smith, USA, of command at Saipan). Orignially Gailey had heard from Edmund Love, the 27th Infantry Division historian, that it was common knowledge amongst those of the 27th that MG Ralph Smith was unjustly relieved (the 27th ID was Ralph Smith's division). Without going into detail about the how's and why's of the book, suffice it to say that this book gives a revealing critique of the marine General, the events leading up to Saipan which shaped his opinions, and a systematic demolition of the rumor that the 27th troops were cowardly and inept. It also provides the day-to-day history of the fighting, the heaviest of which fell on the 27th. This is a true story of interservice hatreds and should be back in print.

The Dismissal at Saipan Revisited........2001-08-11

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. H.M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith, Commander of V Amphibious Corps on June 15, 1944 lead the assault against Saipan in the Marianas. Ashore was the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions, who suffered sufficiently heavy initial casualties to commit the Army 27th Division. The three divisions advanced eastward across the waist of the island. Leaving only two battalions of the 27th (one said to be under strength) to destroy the enemy in the southeastern part of the island, H.M. Smith pivoted the two Marine Divisions and the bulk of the 27th in a line advancing north. The 27th was now assigned the center of the line facing the central highlands. By the eighth day of the battle for Saipan, the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions had advanced rapidly on each side of the island. The 27th lagged far behind, creating a "U" shaped front and the threat of open flanks for both Marine Divisions. The elements of the 27th left in the southeast were likewise making little progress. Whether these developments were due to the Army facing the enemy on far more difficult terrain and defended by greater numbers, is the subject matter of Gailey's book. On June 24, H.M. Smith, without any reconnaissance by members of Corps staff, relieved his subordinate, Maj. Gen. Ralph Smith. The resulting furor in the media caused a firestorm and increased the inter-services resentment.

Tracing H.M. Smith's bitterness to his earlier experience with the 27th on Makin, Gailey skillfully builds a case against Howlin Mad. In fairness, this book should be read together with H.M. Smith's "Coral and Brass". That autobiographical work was written largely as an explanation of the dismissal. It is beyond the scope of this review to compare the two divergent views but, by and large, one is left with the conviction that the accepted historical view is based more upon the preconceptions of the Hearst Newspapers and Time Magazine and not fact. Like MacArthur, it would appear that Howlin' enjoyed the favor of the press.

H.M. Smith was a genius at training, tactics and logistics. His service to his country and the Corps can not be overstated. His ability as a field commander is not as clear. Gailey has done much to restore the name of Ralph Smith and the men of the 27th Division who subsequently had to carry the stigma of cowards when they later fought on Okinawa.

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2000 Census of Population and Housing, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics

Manufacturer: Bureau of Census
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Demography | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0160678234

Book Description

Provides information on the sex, age, race, ethnicity and other aspects of the population in the Northern Mariana Islands.

The 2006 Economic and Product Market Databook for Saipan, Northern Mariana Island

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The 2006 Economic and Product Market Databook for Saipan, Northern Mariana Island
Philip M. Parker
Manufacturer: ICON Group International, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Econometrics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 049781398X
Release Date: 2006-12-11

Product Description

In performing various economic analyses for its clients, I have occasionally been asked to investigate the market potential for various products and services in Northern Mariana Island. The purpose of this study is to understand the density of demand within Northern Mariana Island and the extent to which Saipan might be used as a point of distribution within Oceana. From an economic perspective, however, Saipan does not represent a population within rigid geographical boundaries, rather, it represents an area of dominant influence over markets in adjacent areas. This influence varies from one industry to another, but also from one period of time to another. In what follows, I summarize the economic potential for Saipan over the next five years for hundreds of industries, categories and products. The goal of this report is to report the real economic potential, or what an economist calls the latent demand, represented by Saipan when defined as an area of dominant influence. The reader needs to realize that latent demand may or may not represent real sales. For many items, latent demand is clearly observable in sales, as in the case for food or housing items. Consider, however, the category "satellite launch vehicles". Clearly, there are no launch pads in Saipan used by the space industry to launch satellites. However, the core benefit of the vehicles (e.g. telecommunications, etc.) is "consumed" by the area served by Saipan. Without Saipan, in other words, the market for satellite launch vehicles would be lower for the population in Northern Mariana Island, Oceana, or the world in general. One needs to allocate, therefore, a portion of the worldwide economic demand for launch vehicles to both Oceana and Saipan. The data presented are the result of various spatial econometric and time-series forecasting models which, for each category presented, are applied to forecast and allocate demand across all countries of the world and major distribution centers or centers of dominant influence within each country. This is accomplished knowing that economic fundamentals (e.g. income) generally vary from one city to another within a given country over time. In this report, I report the allocation for each category for Saipan as an area of dominant influence in Northern Mariana Island and, potentially, Oceana. Important Caveat. Category definitions may overlap. The sum of multiple categories, therefore, may double count.

The 2006 Northern Mariana Island Economic and Product Market Databook

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The 2006 Northern Mariana Island Economic and Product Market Databook
Philip M. Parker
Manufacturer: ICON Group International, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Econometrics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0497822393
Release Date: 2006-12-11

Product Description

In performing various economic analyses for its clients, I have occasionally been asked to investigate the market potential for various products and services in Northern Mariana Island. The purpose of the studies is to understand the density of demand within Northern Mariana Island and the extent to which Northern Mariana Island might be used as a point of distribution within Oceana. From an economic perspective, however, Northern Mariana Island does not represent a population within rigid geographical boundaries, rather, it represents an area of dominant influence over markets in adjacent areas. This influence varies from one industry to another, but also from one period of time to another. In what follows, I summarize the economic potential for Northern Mariana Island over the next five years for hundreds of industries, categories and products. The goal of this report is to report my findings on the real economic potential, or what an economist calls the latent demand, represented by Northern Mariana Island when defined as an area of dominant influence. The reader needs to realize that latent demand may or may not represent real sales. For many items, latent demand is clearly observable in sales, as in the case for food or housing items. Consider, however, the category "satellite launch vehicles". Clearly, there are no launch pads in Northern Mariana Island used by the space industry to launch satellites. However, the core benefit of the vehicles (e.g. telecommunications, etc.) is "consumed" by the area served by Northern Mariana Island. Without Northern Mariana Island, in other words, the market for satellite launch vehicles would be lower for the population in Northern Mariana Island, Oceana, or the world in general. One needs to allocate, therefore, a portion of the worldwide economic demand for launch vehicles to both Oceana and Northern Mariana Island. The data presented are the result of various spatial econometric and time-series forecasting models which, for each category presented, are applied to forecast and allocate latent demand across all countries of the world and major distribution centers or centers of dominant influence within each country. This is accomplished knowing that economic fundamentals (e.g. income) generally vary from one country to another within a given country over time. In this report, I report the allocation for each category for Northern Mariana Island as an area of dominant influence in Oceana and, potentially, the world.

Business Reference & Investment Guide to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

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Business Reference & Investment Guide to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Manufacturer: Diane Pub.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0788110497

Product Description

An economic & business information atlas consisting of 76 maps, 57 graphs, 44 statistical tables, numerous historical & current photos, geographic sketches & more than 100,000 words describing all facets of the U.S. Commonwealth of The Northern Mariana Islands' business & investment climate

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