The Invasion of Saipan
The Turning Point began with the American invasion of Saipan, which started on June 15, 1944.
|
"A map will easily show that aircraft and submarines based on Saipan can control the sea lanes south of Japan cutting off the vital oil, food, and other products needed to sustain the life of an empire. In addition, superbombers, the long-range B-29's, were being delivered in quantities to the Army Air Corps. The day before the invasion, the Army bombed Japan from bases in China, which gave the Japanese the ranges of the new bombers. But the Army preferred a base on Saipan. Here the distance to Tokyo was only 1,200 miles. It was a matter of economics." -David Moore, Cdr. USN (Ret.)
|