An historic relic site on the island of Saipan. The island witnessed fierce fighting from June 15 to July 9, 1944. US forces were trying to take the island as a base from which its new B-29 bombers could strike Tokyo, about 2,000 kilometers to the north. More than 40,000 Japanese troops and some 10,000 Japanese civilians on the island were killed in more than three weeks of fighting. About 5,000 US soldiers were also killed in the battle. [Photo/IC]