Saipan & the Northern Mariana Islands
Introduction
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Saipan
is one of the islands that comprises the United States Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands. There are 14 islands in the archipelago
that lies to the east of the Philippines, to the south of Japan, and
north of Papua New Guinea. Saipan is the largest of the Islands. The
Northern Mariana Islands have a total population of approximately
60,000 people. The official languages are English, Chamorro, and Carolinian.
The US Dollar is the official currency in the Northern Mariana Islands
and Roman Catholicism is the main religion. |
Brief History
Saipan and it's neighbouring islands were
settled by the Spanish who maintained control of the Northern Mariana
from 1521 to 1899. The Spanish sold the islands to Germany in 1899 and
the Germans retained control until 1914 when they were forced out by the
Japanese.
World War II
In June 1944 US armed forces began a campaign
to drive the Japanese off the islands during World War II. The Americans
needed to secure Saipan as a base for a land invasion of Japan. The Japanese
put up very strong resistance. Of the 31,629 Japanese on Saipan approximately
29,500 Japanese died as a result of the fighting. Only 2,100 Japanese
prisoners survived.
Many Japanese families committed suicide rather
than be taken prisoner. The fierce defence by the Japanese, including their
willingness to fight to the death, convinced the Americans that any invasion
of Japan would involve an unacceptable number of American deaths.
The battle for Saipan led directly to the
decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The B-29 American bomber
Enola Gay, carrying the atomic bomb, took off from Saipan neighbouring
island, Tinian, on 6 August 1945. Saipan and it's Mariana neighbours have
been under the control of the USA in one form or another since World War
II.
Irish 2002 World Cup Soccer Squad
On the 18th May 2002
the Republic of Ireland World Cup soccer squad flew to Saipan from Tokyo
airport on NorthWest flight 0076. The squad and FAI officials stayed in
the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the Garapan area of Saipan. The 311 room hotel
lies in 14 acres of lush, tropical gardens, lagoons and the magnificent
Micro Beach. The Irish trained each day at the Susupe Sports complex which
included, "the newly rejuvenated soccer field just north of the
Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium." The Commonwealth of the the Northern
Mariana Islands had spent $20,000
to upgrade Oleai field in preparation for the arrival of the Irish team.
(Saipan Tribune - 20 May 2007).
I Keano - Musical
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