"The enemy met the assault operations with pointless bravery, inhuman tenacity,
cave fighting, and the will to lose hard."
-Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN
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The battle, expected to go on for only three days, dragged on to its second week. As the battle went on, troops from each side got more ruthless. Leaders bombarded the troops with propaganda. Because of that, surrender was rarely given. The propaganda reached the locals, too. Many decided to commit suicide by jumping off "suicide cliff" instead of falling into the hands of American troops. The Japanese, as relentless as ever, continued to attack the Americans with "pointless bravery" and "inhuman tenacity". |
People jumped to their deaths on Marpi Point renamed "Suicide Cliff" (Credit : Time & Life Getty Images)
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Civilians flee the ruins of a village during battle (credit: W. Eugene Smith)
Exhausted native father with wounded child
(credit: W. Eugene Smith)
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With many Banzai charges being a failure, General Saito ordered his troops into the jungle. His army, or what was left of it, was not doing well. But there was one more battle ordered by the emperor himself. It called for every single man, even the wounded and unarmed, to fight without fear. Saito swore to carry it out. But he thought he was too valuable if taken alive, so he committed suicide. Japanese surrendering and committing suicide (credit : The U.S. Army)
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Mother and Son scared by American troops
(credit: W. Eugene Smith)
Dead Japanese soldiers litter Tanapag Plain (credit: Dept. of Defense USMC photo)
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