Japan expected America to invade Tinian from the south.
So America made them believe it.
In July 1944, about 8,000 Japanese defenders were stationed on Tinian, an island in the Mariana Islands that would become critical to the American advance toward Japan.
The best-known landing beaches were near Tinian Town on the southwest coast.
They were also heavily defended.
So American forces created a deception.
For days, warships bombarded the southern coast. On July 24, Marines staged a diversion near Tinian Town, reinforcing the Japanese belief that the main assault was coming there.
It wasn’t.
The real target was two tiny beaches on Tinian’s northwest coast: White Beach 1 and White Beach 2.
The beaches were narrow, bordered by coral cliffs, and looked difficult to assault.
But the Americans had prepared for them.
Modified LVTs were fitted with special ramps that allowed them to climb over the coral ledges.
Before dawn, the 4th Marine Division landed.
And the Japanese were looking in the wrong direction.
The landing succeeded.
But the deception came at a cost.
Japanese guns hidden in caves opened fire on the American ships still attacking the southern coast.
USS Colorado was hit 22 times.
USS Norman Scott was hit six times.
American sailors and Marines were killed and wounded.
But the bombardment continued.
While Japanese guns focused south, American forces were already pushing inland from the north.
By August 1, organized resistance on Tinian had ended.
But capturing the island was only the beginning.
American Seabees transformed Tinian into a massive B-29 base, building runways, taxiways, hardstands, roads, and facilities capable of supporting hundreds of bombers.
On December 22, the first B-29 landed at the new North Field.
The island had become a launchpad for America’s bombing campaign against Japan.
And months later, B-29s based on Tinian would carry the atomic bombs used against Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Tinian hadn’t just been conquered.
It had been turned into a weapon.
This is Episode 19 of the Grand Archive: Pacific War.
Comment “YES” for Episode 20, and follow so you don’t miss what happened next.
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