Saipan Civilians - Surrender Instead of Suicide
Despite the orders of Japanese military commanders to commit suicide, some Saipan civilians surrendered to the Americans. This photo from Saipan: The Beginning of the End (a USMC Historical Monograph by Major Carl W. Hoffman, USMC) - at page 242 - shows a group of people who defied the death orders. The photo's caption states:
ELECTING TO LIVE, these Saipan civilians cast their lot with the Americans. This puzzled, tired group eyes apprehensively one of the United States invaders to whom they surrendered.
