The Battle of Saipan was fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June – 9 July 1944 during WWII. The battle proved to be the most costly to date in the Pacific War for the American Forces. 2,949 Americans were killed and 10,464 wounded out of 71,000 who landed on the island. For the Japanese, about 30,000 troops and 22,000 support civilians and family members died, including several thousand who died by jumping from the cliffs. These Japanese soldiers and civilians had been led to believe by their commanders that the Americans would torture and brutalize them if captured. Visiting the cliffs can be a very sobering experience.