This film is part of a series depicting the Marines and the Battle for the Mariana Islands — Saipan, Tinian and Guam — during WWII. This particular film focuses on the assault on Saipan (June 15-July 9, 1944). The film is photographed by Marine Corps Combat Cameramen and edited and distributed by Warner Bros. Studios for the United States Government Office of War Information. A second film chronicling the battle for Guam can be seen here: https://youtu.be/YJ9yArQpWCk

“The Battle for The Marianas” title banner (00:06). Credits (00:14). A map of the Pacific Ocean between Japan and the Hawaiian Islands (00:25). The Island of Guadalcanal showing where it is situated vs the Marianas Islands of Guam, Saipan and Tinian (00:34). Soldiers walking through the jungle (00:36). An arrow pointing on the Island of New Georgia on a map (00:40), New Britain (00:46), the Gilbert Islands (00:52), Kwajalein Atoll / Island (01:03), and the Marianas Islands (01:15). Invasion fleet of LSTs and USS Alnitah (AK-127), a Crater-class cargo ship (01:20). LST-487 ship unloading; LVT-4 Water Buffalo tanks (01:26). Soldiers are driving tanks through the water (01:38). Smoke clouds from explosions (02:01). Soldiers driving on land in LVT-4 Water Buffalo tanks (02:10). They exit the tanks (02:20). Tanks continue driving onto land (02:40). A plane is hit and crashes (02:49). Soldiers on a shoreline (02:58). Soldiers are moving across the beach (03:28). One is shot (03:35). An M4 Sherman tank (03:44). USS Knapp, Fletcher-class destroyer being attacked (03:50). Smoke clouds from explosions in the water (04:01). Soldiers standing in water (04:23). Tanks arrive on land (04:34). Soldiers shoot a M2 Mortar (04:43). Soldier sneaking through a wooded area, pushing inland (04:47). An M2 Sherman tank shooting (05:08). Soldiers shooting (05:13). A soldier shooting a M1917 Browning machine gun (05:17). Explosions (05.20). Soldiers hiking through the forest (05:27). Birds-eye-view of the North Field, a Japanese Airstrip known as Ushi Point Airfield (05:43). Captured Japanese aircraft (06:00). A totaled aircraft (06:08). Soldiers walking across a field (06:11). Soldiers pulling a field gun (06:27). Tanks shooting (06:23). Smoke clouds from explosions (06:37). Soldiers (06:41). A Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go Light Tank on fire (06:53). A Type 3 Ho-Ni III Japanese tank (07:03). A dead Japanese soldier (07:04). A Type 95 Ha-Go tank (07:06). Deceased Japanese soldiers (07:11). Ships being bombed (07:16). M2 Flamethrower soldiers (07:52). Flamethrowers start fires (07:58). An M3 105mm howitzer (08:35). An M1 howitzer firing (08:45). Ships under attack (09:28). Views of the Battle for Garapan on Saipan (09:32). U. S. tanks evacuating wounded soldiers while under heavy fire (09:38). U. S. rockets fired (09:59). A soldier throws an incendiary device (10:15). Point-of-view footage from inside a tank during battle (10:33). Birds-eye-view of a battlefield (10:44). Lieutenant-General Holland Smith U. S. Marine Corps (10:46). Various U. S. Assault Forces artillery being fired (10:51). P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft (11:30). Battle-scene footage (11:41). A plane crashing (12:12). U. S. Soldiers walk around residential areas on Garapan (12:31). A 37 mm M3 anti-tank gun (12:51). Views of soldiers firing their weapons, explosions, and Japanese soldiers getting shot (12:54). Flamethrower soldiers burn start fires (13:40). Retreating Japanese soldiers (13:52). A soldier running to catch a goose (14:02). A group of soldiers pushing a field gun up a hill (14:11). The gun is loaded and fired (14:16). An M4A3 Sherman tank (14:36). A soldier setting up a loudspeaker to ask the Japanese to surrender (14:40). The U. S. Assault Force are lined up with their weapons, holding their fire (14:50). Surrendered civilians (15:09). A community kitchen set up for the civilians (15:27). They make rice balls (15:31). Civilians who haven’t surrendered (15:35). U. S. forces fire against them (15:40). The front-line forces push across a field (16:28). Views of attacks and explosions (16:53). An M2 Browning machine gun is fired (17:08). A soldier throws a hand grenade (17:15). Soldiers shooting against Japanese soldiers hiding on cliffs (17:28). In a horrifying scene, Japanese soldiers commit suicide by jumping from the cliff (17:48). Dead soldiers lying on the ground (17:56). Surrendering Japanese soldiers (18:06). A grenade is thrown (18:12) and explodes (18:15). Mopping up: U. S. Marines continue to attack the remaining Japanese soldiers using grenades and flamethrowers (18:20). The cemeteries for the soldiers from the Battle for the Marianas (18:37). “Semper Fidelis” text overlay (19:39).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com