U.S. victories in the Gilbert Islands and the Marshall Islands campaign penetrated Japan's outermost defensive ring in the central Pacific, which cleared the way for an attack on the Mariana Islands, a group of 15 islands stretching in a 500-mile arc halfway between Japan and New Guinea. The biggest islands of the group, Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam, were U.S. possessions (having been ceded by Spain in 1898). The other islands had been purchased by Germany, but were captured by Japan during World War I and mandated to Japan by the League of Nations after that war.

The strategic location of the Mariana islands made them ideal for use as U.S. B-29 bomber bases because, from here, the long-range bombers could reach the Japanese homeland as well as the Philippines. They also figured as key military objectives because they were the headquarters of Japan's Central Pacific fleet, under command by Admiral Nagumo Chuichi, who had been in command at the Battle of Pearl Harbor. The islands were garrisoned by the Japanese Thirty-first Army, under General Obata Hideyoshi. Admiral Chester A. Nimitz, U.S. commander in chief in the central Pacific, believed that a battle in the Marianas would be decisive for the entire course of the Pacific war.

On June 15, 1944, the marines of Holland "Howlin' Mad" Smith's V Amphibious Corps invaded Saipan, the northernmost of the three major islands. The 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions landed on the western side of the island, fighting their way nearly a mile inland by nightfall. During the night of June 16-17, the U.S. Army's 27th Infantry Division landed, capturing Aslito (Isely) Airfield on the 18th. (U.S. Army Air Forces fighters began using the field on June 23.)

After four more days of intense combat, V Corps cleared most of the southern portion of Saipan, then turned left to push the attack northward on June 23. The 2nd Marine Division advanced along the west coast, the 27th Infantry advanced up the center, and the 4th Marine Division took responsibility for the east coast. When the 27th Infantry fell behind the other two divisions, Smith relieved its commander, General Ralph Smith, and replaced him with General Sanderford Jarman and, subsequently, General George Griner. Under these commanders, the army unit caught up with the marines by July 1. With the invasion force now abreast, the 2nd Marine Division went on to take Garapan, while the other two divisions advanced toward Marpi Point, at the northern tip of the island. Resistance throughout was fierce, but, faced with the certainty of defeat, the Japanese commanders Nagumo and Saito committed suicide on July 6. Leaderless now, the Japanese troops staged fierce and suicidal banzai attacks. On July 9, all resistance on Saipan ended with a mass suicide of Japanese soldiers and civilians off Marpi Point. U.S. forces took just 1,000 prisoners. U.S. casualties were 10,347 (marines) and 3,674 (army), including a total of 3,426 marines and soldiers killed in action. . .

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