7. Battle of Saipan
The Battle of Saipan commenced from 15 June-9 July 1944, when the United States forces invaded the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands, in their pursuit to gain an air base within a direct striking distance of mainland Japan.
Nevertheless, the Japanese troops didn’t surrender as they were determined to fight on even though it was clear that they didn’t stand any chance. By July 9, when the war came to an end, nearly 30,000 Japanese troops had either been killed or committed suicide, including all four commanders (Yoshitsugu Saitō, Chūichi Nagumo, Takeo Takagi, and Matsuji Ijuin). Others were captured as prisoners of war.
The Americans also suffered approximately 13,500 casualties, and 3,500 of these were deaths. Thousands of civilians also lost their lives, many of which were suicidal.