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Battle of Saipan
The Battle of Saipan was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June–9 July 1944. The Allied invasion fleet embarking the expeditionary forces left Pearl Harbor on 5 June 1944, the day before Operation Overlord in Europe was launched. The U.S. 2nd Marine Division, 4th Marine Division, and the Army's 27th Infantry Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Holland Smith, defeated the 43rd infantry division of the Imperial Japanese Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito.
In the campaigns of 1943 and the first half of 1944, the Allies had captured the Solomon Islands, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands and the Papuan Peninsula of New Guinea. This left the Japanese holding the Philippines, the Caroline Islands, Palau Islands and Mariana Islands.
It had always been the intention of the American planners to bypass the Carolines and Palauan islands and to seize the Marianas and Taiwan. From these latter bases communications between the Japanese archipelago and Japanese forces to the south and west could be cut. From the Marianas, Japan would be well within the range of an air offensive relying on the new Boeing B-29 Superfortress long-range bomber with its operational radius of 1,500 mi (2,400 km).
While not part of the original American plan, Douglas MacArthur, commander of the Southwest Pacific Area command, obtained authorization to advance through New Guinea and Morotai toward the Philippines. This allowed MacArthur to keep his personal pledge, made in his "I shall return" speech, to liberate the Philippines, and also allowed the active use of the large forces built up in the southwest Pacific theatre. The Japanese, expecting an attack somewhere on their perimeter, thought an attack on the Caroline Islands most likely. To reinforce and supply their garrisons, they needed naval and air superiority, so Operation A-Go, a major carrier attack, was prepared for June 1944.
Imperial Japanese Army
- HQ, 31st Army — Lieutenant General Saito Yoshitsugu
- 14th Independent Mortar Battalion
- 17th Independent Mortar Battalion
- 20th Independent Mortar Battalion
- 115th Airfield Battalion
- 23d Field Airfield Construction Unit
- Miscellaneous straggler units
- 43rd infantry division
- 118th Mixed Regiment
- 135th Mixed Regiment
- 136th Mixed Regiment
- Divisional support
- 47th Independent Mixed Brigade
- 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Battalion, 9th Independent Mixed Brigade
- 3rd Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment
- 25th Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
- Miscellaneous units
- 9th armored regiment of 1st tank division
- 316th Independent Infantry Battalion
- 317th Independent Infantry Battalion
- 318th Independent Infantry Battalion
United States
- V Amphibious Corps — Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith
- XXIV Corps Artillery — Brigadier General Arthur M. Harper
- 1st Provisional Gun Group
- 225th Field Artillery Howitzer Group
- 2nd Marine Division — Major General Thomas E. Watson
- 2nd Marine Regiment (-)
- 6th Marine Regiment
- 8th Marine Regiment
- 10th Marine Regiment
- 18th Marine Regiment
- Attached units
- 1st Battalion, 29th Marine Regiment [5]
- 715th Amphibian Tractor Bn (Army)
- 4th Marine Division — Major General Harry Schmidt
- 14th Marine Regiment
- 20th Marine Regiment
- 23rd Marine Regiment
- 24th Marine Regiment
- 25th Marine Regiment
- Attached units
- 708th Amphibian Tank Bn (Army)
- 773rd Amphibian Tractor Bn (Army)
- 534th Amphibian Tractor Bn (Army)
- 27th Infantry Division — Major General Ralph C. Smith
- 105th Infantry Regiment
- 106th Infantry Regiment
- 165th Infantry Regiment
- 104th Field Artillery Battalion
- 105th Field Artillery Battalion
- 106th Field Artillery Battalion
- 249th Field Artillery Battalion
- 102nd Engineer Combat Battalion
- 502nd Engineer Combat Battalion
- Attached units
The bombardment of Saipan began on 13 June 1944. Fifteen battleships were involved, and 165,000 shells were fired. Seven modern fast battleships delivered 2,400 16 in (410 mm) shells, but to avoid potential minefields, fire was from a distance of 10,000 yd (9,100 m) or more, and crews were inexperienced in shore bombardment. The following day the eight older battleships and 11 cruisers under Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf replaced the fast battleships but were lacking in time and ammunition.[6]
The landings[7] began at 07:00 on 15 June 1944. More than 300 LVTs landed 8,000 Marines on the west coast of Saipan by about 09:00. Eleven fire support ships covered the Marine landings. The naval force consisted of the battleships Tennessee and California. The cruisers were Birmingham and Indianapolis. The destroyers were Norman Scott, Monssen, Coghlan, Halsey Powell, Bailey, Robinson and Albert W. Grant. Careful Japanese artillery preparation — placing flags in the lagoon to indicate the range — allowed them to destroy about 20 amphibious tanks, and the Japanese strategically placed barbed wire, artillery, machine gun emplacements, and trenches to maximize the American casualties. However, by nightfall the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions had a beachhead about 6 mi (10 km) wide and 0.5 mi (1 km) deep.[8] The Japanese counter-attacked at night but were repulsed with heavy losses. On 16 June, units of the U.S. Army's 27th Infantry Division landed and advanced on the airfield at Ås Lito (now the location of Saipan International Airport). Again the Japanese counter-attacked at night. On 18 June, Saito abandoned the airfield.
The invasion surprised the Japanese high command, which had been expecting an attack further south. Admiral Soemu Toyoda, commander-in-chief of the Japanese Navy, saw an opportunity to use the A-Go force to attack the U.S. Navy forces around Saipan. On 15 June, he gave the order to attack. But the resulting battle of the Philippine Sea was a disaster for the Imperial Japanese Navy, which lost three aircraft carriers and hundreds of planes. The garrisons of the Marianas would have no hope of resupply or reinforcement.
Without resupply, the battle on Saipan was hopeless for the defenders, but the Japanese were determined to fight to the last man. Saito organized his troops into a line anchored on Mount Tapotchau in the defensible mountainous terrain of central Saipan. The nicknames given by the Americans to the features of the battle — "Hell's Pocket", "Purple Heart Ridge" and "Death Valley" — indicate the severity of the fighting. The Japanese used the many caves in the volcanic landscape to delay the attackers, by hiding during the day and making sorties at night. The Americans gradually developed tactics for clearing the caves by using flamethrower teams supported by artillery and machine guns.
The operation was marred by inter-service controversy when Marine General Holland Smith, unsatisfied with the performance of the 27th Division, relieved its commander, Army Major General Ralph C. Smith. However, General Holland Smith had not inspected the terrain over which the 27th was to advance. Essentially, it was a valley surrounded by hills and cliffs under Japanese control. The 27th took heavy casualties and eventually, under a plan developed by General Ralph Smith and implemented after his relief, had one battalion hold the area while two other battalions successfully flanked the Japanese.[9]
By 7 July, the Japanese had nowhere to retreat. Saito made plans for a final suicidal banzai charge. On the fate of the remaining civilians on the island, Saito said, "There is no longer any distinction between civilians and troops. It would be better for them to join in the attack with bamboo spears than be captured." At dawn, with a group of 12 men carrying a great red flag in the lead, the remaining able-bodied troops — about 3,000 men — charged forward in the final attack. Amazingly, behind them came the wounded, with bandaged heads, crutches, and barely armed. The Japanese surged over the American front lines, engaging both army and Marine units. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 105th Infantry Regiment were almost destroyed, losing 650 killed and wounded. However, the fierce resistance of these two battalions, as well as that of Headquarters Company, 105th Infantry, and supply elements of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Artillery Regiment resulted in over 4,300 Japanese killed. For their actions during the 15-hour Japanese attack, three men of the 105th Infantry were awarded the Medal of Honor — all posthumously. Numerous others fought the Japanese until they were overwhelmed by the largest Japanese Banzai attack in the Pacific War.[10]
By 16:15 on 9 July, Admiral Turner announced that Saipan was officially secured.[11] Saito — along with commanders Hirakushi and Igeta — committed suicide in a cave. Also committing suicide at the end of the battle was Vice-Admiral Chuichi Nagumo — the naval commander who led the Japanese carriers at Pearl Harbor and Midway — who had been assigned to Saipan to direct the Japanese naval air forces based there.
In the end, almost the entire garrison of troops on the island — at least 30,000 — died. For the Americans, the victory was the most costly to date in the Pacific War. 2,949 Americans were killed and 10,464 wounded, out of 71,000 who landed.[12][13] Future Hollywood actor Lee Marvin was among the many Americans wounded. He was serving with "I" Company, 24th Marine Regiment, when he was shot in the buttocks by Japanese machine gun fire during the assault on Mount Tapochau. He was awarded the Purple Heart and was given a medical discharge with the rank of Private First Class in 1945.[14]
Civilian casualties
Being a former Spanish and then German territory, Saipan became a Mandate of Japan by the League of Nations after World War I, and thus a large number of Japanese civilians lived there — at least 25,000.[15] The U.S. erected a civilian prisoner encampment on 23 June 1944 that soon had more than 1,000 inmates. Electric lights at the camp were conspicuously left on overnight to attract other civilians with the promise of three warm meals and no risk of accidentally being shot in combat.[15]
Weapons and the tactics of close quarter fighting also resulted in high civilian casualties. Civilian shelters were located virtually everywhere on the island, with very little difference noticeable to attacking marines. The standard method of clearing suspected bunkers was with high-explosive and/or high-explosives augmented with petroleum (e.g., gelignite, napalm, diesel fuel). In such conditions, high civilian casualties were inevitable.[16]
Emperor Hirohito personally found the threat of defection of Japanese civilians disturbing.[15] Much of the community was of low caste, and there was a risk that live civilians would be surprised by generous U.S. treatment. Native Japanese sympathizers would hand the Americans a powerful propaganda weapon to subvert the "fighting spirit" of Japan in radio broadcasts. At the end of June, Hirohito sent out an imperial order encouraging the civilians of Saipan to commit suicide.[15] The order authorized the commander of Saipan to promise civilians who died there an equal spiritual status in the afterlife with those of soldiers perishing in combat. General Hideki Tōjō intercepted the order on 30 June and delayed its sending, but it went out anyway the next day. By the time the Marines advanced on the north tip of the island, from 8–12 July, most of the damage had been done.[15] 1,000 Japanese civilians committed suicide in the last days of the battle to take the offered privileged place in the afterlife, some jumping from places later named "Suicide Cliff" and "Banzai Cliff".
American military awards
- Robert H. McCard
On 16 June 1944, Gunnery Sergeant Robert H. McCard, a Marine, killed sixteen enemies while sacrificing himself to ensure the safety of his tank crew. McCard was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. The USS Robert H. McCard (DD-822), a Gearing-class destroyer, was named in his honor.
Seth T. Garner
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Seth T. Garner (MCSN: 416496), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Group Leader of the First Battalion, Second Marines, SECOND Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan, Marianas Islands, 24 June 1944.
With his Battalion in attack, Private First Class Garner led a unit which made contact with a counterattacking force of thirty Japanese. With all save one of his men killed during the ensuing fire fight, he exerted tremendous effort and, although painfully wounded by an enemy grenade, tenaciously held the line at that point. Killing the Japanese officer leading the counterattack, he succeeded in disorganizing the group and in frustrating their attempts to break through out lines, thereby contributing materially to the effectiveness of his Battalion's attack.
Private First Class Garner's courage, initiative and devotion to duty in the face of strong opposition were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
- Harold G. Epperson
On 25 June 1944, PFC Harold G. Epperson, part of the 2nd Marine Division, threw himself on a grenade to contain the blast from killing members of his squad. For his bravery and sacrifice, PFC Epperson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.[17] Epperson's Medal of Honor was presented to his mother in a ceremony on Wednesday, 4 July 1945 in Tiger Stadium, Massillon, Ohio. The USS Epperson (DD-719), a Gearing-class destroyer, was named in his honor.
- William O'Brien
When the 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment came under attack from a much larger enemy force on 7 July, Lieutenant Colonel William O'Brien refused to leave the front lines even after being wounded, and continued to lead his men until being overrun and killed. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on 9 May 1945, for his actions throughout the battle for Saipan. The U.S. Army ship USAT Col. William J. O'Brien, which served in the Pacific Ocean at the end of World War II, was named in his honor.
- Thomas A. Baker
On 7 July, Private Thomas A. Baker and his comrades from the 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, came under attack by a large Japanese force. Although seriously wounded early in the attack, he refused to be evacuated and continued to fight in the close-range battle until running out of ammunition. When a comrade was wounded while trying to carry him to safety, Baker insisted that he be left behind. At his request, his comrades left him propped against a tree and gave him a pistol, which had eight bullets remaining. When American forces retook the position, they found the pistol, now empty, and eight dead Japanese soldiers around Baker's body. Baker was posthumously promoted to sergeant and, on 9 May 1945, awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions throughout the battle for Saipan.[18] He was buried at Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, New York.[19]
- Ben L. Salomon
On 7 July 1944, Army Captain Ben L. Salomon, the battalion surgeon of 2nd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division aided the evacuation of wounded soldiers. After defending his unarmed patients from four Japanese soldiers, he manned a machine gun post and effectively repelled numerous enemy forces to enable the evacuation of wounded personnel. When his body was recovered after the battle, 98 dead Japanese soldiers were found in front of his position. For gallantry in battle, Captain Ben L. Salomon was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in May 2002.[20] Salomon was the third Jewish service member to be awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II.
- Guy Gabaldon
PFC Guy Gabaldon, of Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, was a Mexican-American from Los Angeles. He is officially credited with capturing more than 1,000 Japanese prisoners during the battle. PFC Gabaldon, who was raised by Japanese-Americans, used a combination of street Japanese and guile to convince soldiers and civilians alike that U.S. troops were not barbarians, and that they would be well treated upon surrender. For his outstanding bravery, Gabaldon received a Silver Star, which was upgraded to the Navy Cross.[21] During the war, his commanders had requested that he receive the Medal of Honor for his actions; however, his initial award was the Silver Star. In 1998, efforts were re-initiated to secure the Medal of Honor for PFC Gabaldon.[22] The effort was ongoing in 2006.[23]
Although major fighting had officially ceased on 9 July, pockets of Japanese resistance continued. In September 1944, U.S. Marines began patrols into the island interior in order to bring in civilians and soldiers still holding out in the jungles. A group led by Captain Sakae Oba managed to evade capture for more than 512 days until surrendering to American forces on 1 December 1945, three months after the official surrender of Japan. In February 2011, a film about Oba, Oba: The Last Samurai, was released in Japan.
With the capture of Saipan, the American military was now only 1,300 mi (1,100 nmi; 2,100 km) away from the home islands of Japan. The victory would prove to be one of the most important strategic moments during the war in the Pacific Theater, as the Japanese mainland was now within striking distance of United States' B-29 bombers.[24] From this point on, Saipan would become the launch point for retaking other islands in the Mariana chain and the invasion of the Philippines in October 1944. Four months after capture, more than 100 B-29s from Saipan's Isely Field were regularly attacking the Philippines, the Ryukyu Islands and the Japan mainland. In response, Japanese aircraft attacked Saipan and Tinian on several occasions between November 1944 and January 1945. The U.S. capture of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945) ended further Japanese air attacks.
The loss of Saipan was a heavy blow to both the military and civilian administration of Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō. According to one Japanese admiral: "Our war was lost with the loss of Saipan." U.S. Marine Corps General Holland Smith said: "It was the decisive battle of the Pacific offensive [...] it opened the way to the Japanese home islands."[25] Shortly after Saipan was taken, a meeting at the Imperial General Headquarters was convened where it was decided that a symbolic change of leadership should be made: Tōjō would step aside and Emperor Hirohito would have less involvement in day-to-day military affairs, even though he was defined as both head of state and the Generalissimo of the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces according to the Meiji Constitution of 1889. The general staff believed it was now time to distance the Imperial family from blame as the tide of war turned against the Japanese.[15] Although Tōjō agreed to resign, Hirohito blocked his resignation because he considered Tōjō to be Japan's strongest war leader. But after Tōjō failed to shuffle his Cabinet due to excessive internal hostility, he conceded defeat.[15] On 18 July, Tōjō again submitted his resignation, this time unequivocally. His entire cabinet resigned with him.[26] Former IJA General Kuniaki Koiso became Prime Minister on 22 July. However, due to the legacy of Saipan, Koiso was nothing more than a titular Prime Minister, and was prevented by the Imperial General Headquarters from participating in any military decisions.[27]
Saipan also saw a change in the way Japanese war reporting was presented on the home front. Initially, as the battle started, Japanese accounts concentrated on the fighting spirit of the IJA and the heavy casualties it was inflicting on American forces. However, any reader familiar with Saipan's geography would have known from the chronology of engagements that the U.S. forces were relentlessly advancing northwards. No further mention of Saipan was made following the final battle on 7 July, which was not initially reported to the public.[28] However, after Tōjō's resignation on 18 July, an accurate, almost day-by-day, account of the defeat on Saipan was published jointly by the Army and Navy. It mentioned the near total loss of all Japanese soldiers and civilians on the island and the use of "human bullets". The reports had a devastating effect on Japanese opinion; mass suicides were now seen as defeat, not evidence of an "Imperial Way".[29] This was the first time Japanese forces had accurately been depicted in a battle since Midway, which had been proclaimed a victory.[29]
After the war concluded, apologists for Hirohito asserted that the order encouraging the civilians of Saipan to commit suicide for benefits in the afterlife had in fact been forged, along with other incriminating orders. Historian David Bergamini considers this unlikely, writing that "half the staff of the palace [...] would have felt obliged to cut open their bellies if the sacred seals of the Throne had ever been misapplied."[15]
Suicide Cliff and Banzai Cliff, along with a number of surviving isolated Japanese fortifications, are recognized as historic sites on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The cliffs are also part of the National Historic Landmark District Landing Beaches; Aslito/Isley Field; & Marpi Point, Saipan Island, which also includes the American landing beaches, the B-29 runways of Isley Field, and the surviving Japanese infrastructure of the Aslito and Marpi Point airfields.
See also
- ↑ Beevor, Antony (2012). The Second World War (1 ed.). New York: Back Bay Books. ISBN 978-0-316-02375-7.
- ↑ Miller, Donald L. (2001). The Story of World War II. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-2718-6.
- ↑ battleofsaipan.com/seabee.htm
- ↑ "Battle of Saipan". Historynet.com.
- ↑ "FOLLOW ME" The Story of the 2nd Marine Division in WWII. "D Day in the Pacific" by Harold J Goldberg
- ↑ "U.S. Army in World War II: Campaign in the Marianas, Ch. 5". United States Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 13 October 2006.
- ↑ Video: Allies Liberate Island of Elba Etc. (1944). Universal Newsreel. 1944. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- ↑ "Selected June Dates of Marine Corps Historical Significance". This Month in History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 31 October 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2006.
- ↑ Harold Goldberg, D-Day in the Pacific: The Battle of Saipan, Indiana University Press, 2007. pp. 160–164.
- ↑ Harold Goldberg, D-Day in the Pacific: The Battle of Saipan, Indiana University Press, 2007. pp. 167–194.
- ↑ John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire 1936–1945, Random House, 1970, p. 516
- ↑ Battle of Saipan – The Final Curtain, David Moore
- ↑ John Toland, ibid, p. 519.
- ↑ Zec, Donald. Marvin: The Story of Lee Marvin. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1980, ISBN 0-312-51780-7, pp. 36–39.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bergamini, David (1971). Japan's Imperial Conspiracy. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. pp. 1012–1014.
- ↑
- ↑ "Private First Class EPPERSON, HAROLD GLENN, U.S. Marine Corps". Retrieved 2 April 2011.
- ↑ "Medal of Honor recipients - World War II (A–F)". United States Army Center of Military History. 3 August 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
- ↑ "Battle of Saipan". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
- ↑ "Captain SALOMON, BEN L., U.S. Army". Retrieved 2 April 2011.
- ↑ Burlas, Joe (24 September 2004). "Pentagon salutes military service of Hispanic World War II veterans". Army News Service. Retrieved 24 March 2006.
- ↑ Burbeck, James (1998). "An Interview with Guy Gabaldon". War Times Journal. Archived from the original on 13 March 2006. Retrieved 6 March 2006.
- ↑ "PFC Guy Gabaldon, WWII, The Pacific". America USA. Archived from the original on 11 February 2006. Retrieved 6 March 2006.
- ↑ Philip A. Crowl, Campaign in the Marianas, vol 9., United States Army in World War II, The War in the Pacific
- ↑ Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, and Edwin T. Turnbladh, Central Pacific Drive, vol. 3, History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II
- ↑ Hoffman, p. 260.
- ↑ Frank, Richard B. (2001). Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire. Penguin. pp. 90–91. ISBN 0-14-100146-1.
- ↑ Edwin P. Hoyt, Japan's War, pp. 348–9 ISBN 0-07-030612-5
- 1 2 Edwin P. Hoyt, Japan's War, p 352 ISBN 0-07-030612-5
Further reading
- Bright, Richard Carl (2007). Pain and Purpose In the Pacific: True Reports Of War. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-4251-2544-1.
- Denfeld, D. Colt (1997). Hold the Marianas: The Japanese Defense of the Mariana Islands. White Mane Pub. ISBN 1-57249-014-4.
- Gailey, Harry A. (1986). Howlin' Mad Vs. the Army: Conflict in Command, Saipan 1944. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-242-5.
- Goldberg, Harold J. (2007). D-day in the Pacific: The Battle of Saipan. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-34869-2.
- Jones, Don (1986). Oba, The Last Samurai. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-245-X.
- Manchester, William (1980). Goodbye, Darkness A Memoir of the Pacific War. Boston – Toronto: Little, Brown and Co. ISBN 0-316-54501-5.
- Morison, Samuel Eliot (2001). New Guinea and the Marianas, March 1944 – August 1944, vol. 8 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II (reissue ed.). Champaign, Illinois, USA: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-07038-0.
- O'Brien, Francis A. (2003). Battling for Saipan. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-804-0.
- Petty, Bruce M. (2001). Saipan: Oral Histories of the Pacific War. McFarland and Company. ISBN 0-7864-0991-6.
- Rottman, Gordon; Howard Gerrard (2004). Saipan & Tinian 1944: Piercing the Japanese Empire. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-804-9.
- Sauer, Howard (1999). "Torpedoed at Saipan". The Last Big-Gun Naval Battle: The Battle of Surigao Strait. Palo Alto, California: The Glencannon Press. ISBN 1-889901-08-3. — Firsthand account of naval gunfire support by a crewmember of USS Maryland.
- Chapin, Captain John C. (1994). The Battle for Saipan. Washington D.C.: United States Marine Corps Historical Division. PCN 19000312300. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
- Chen, C. Peter. "The Marianas and the Great Turkey Shoot". World War II Database. Retrieved 31 May 2005.
- Saipan — a 2nd Marine Division pamphlet describing certain expected features of the invasion and combat, including the presence of a large civilian population.
- Breaching the Marianas: The Battle for Saipan (Marines in World War II Commemorative Series)
- Banzai charge in Saipan: Gyokusai (Japanese) Suicide for the Emperor?
- Hoffman, Major Carl W. (1950). "Saipan: The Beginning of the End". USMC Historical Monograph. Historical Branch, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 19 December 2005.
- Anderson, Charles R. (2003). Western Pacific. U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub 72-29. Retrieved 3 November 2004.
- Dyer, George Carroll (1956). "The Amphibians Came to Conquer: The Story of Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner". United States Government Printing Office. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- SMU's Frank J. Davis World War II Photographs contain 124 images of Saipan, including 18 images depicting the surrender of the famous "hold-out" Japanese forces under the command of Captain Oba in December 1945
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle of Saipan.
- Battle for the Mariana Islands on YouTube
- Small Unit Actions: The Fight on Tanapag Plain; 27th Division 6 July 1944
Coordinates: 15°11′N 145°45′E / 15.183°N 145.750°E


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Catacurian – Final Day: Cooperativa El Masroig, assembling and eating a clotxa, small-town bars, and adéu
October 5, 2010
It was with heavy hearts and hungry bellies that we awoke on Wednesday – This was going to be our last full day at Catacurian! We had a quick breakfast and headed out the door, marginally tardy for an appointment at the town cooperative.
It seems that many towns in Spain – even tiny ones – have some kind of local cooperative organization. We actually walked from the Catacurian house to the El Masroig cooperative (remember, 400 people—check out their fancy website!). Cooperativa El Masroig is a big, local cooperative where folks bring their raw materials (such as olives and grapes) to be made into wine or olive oil to sell to the public. Additionally, the co-op sold olive oil soaps, locally-grown hazelnuts and almonds, and even some touristy, sexually-themed t-shirts (!).
As we rounded the corner towards the entrance, we saw that a man driving a tractor had arrived immediately before we had. He was using the tractor to haul a load of freshly-picked grapes that were ready to be pressed for wine.
Catacurian – Day 4: Olive oil tasting, homemade duck ham, and aspárragos cojonudos
September 21, 2010
Breakfast at Catacurian just gets better and better. Day 4 dawned bright and early, and welcomed us downstairs with open arms and a goat cheese tortilla sandwich. Muy buenos días, indeed! We were absolutely thrilled with this simple and filling breakfast option. Alicia took this opportunity to remind us that "goat cheese tortilla" is most definitely NOT the same thing as "tortilla española," since tortilla española contains only eggs, salt, and potatoes.
Our first stop would be the Costers del Siurana winery, creators of the reknowned Clos de l'Obac wines.
Catacurian – Day 3: 80 year-old vines, a tiny winery, tomato sorbet, and fricandó
September 10, 2010
Sorry for the delay, folks – We've left lovely Barcelona and are now in Madrid with dear friends we haven't seen in nearly 9 years! I hope you didn't give up on hearing more about our adventures!
Day 3 at Catacurian was just as marvelous as Day 2. I had a good night's sleep, and didn't wake up once (let's hear it for dissipation of jet lag, woot!). We were off and running from pretty early in the day to go see a teeny stretch of 80 year-old Grenache vines. Alicia's friend and accountant Jaume had created a teeny-tiny winemaking outfit called Ficaria, which comes from the word for "fig" in Latin and Catalán. He was a delight to chat with, and the view over his small vineyard was stunning.
Read the rest of this entry »
Catacurian – Day 2 (part 1): White monks, Dragon Kahn, and Escala Dei's Les Brugueres
August 31, 2010
Day 2 in Catacurian began early for me – I didn't sleep well, and kept waking up. Finally I threw in the towel at 5am, and got up to sit outside on the balcony to take in the morning. As the sun came up, the light crept over the countryside, and looked gorgeous. It was a beautiful morning.


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Back to the Figure. Contemporary Painting
Figurative painting has been booming the last ten years. The demand on the international art market is unflagging, above all for the so-called "Leipzig School". Numerous shows have been dedicated to particular positions or groups, but were mostly confined to Germany. "Back to the Figure – Contemporary Painting" presents this tendency for the first time on a large international scale. The exhibition was conceived by the Munich Kunsthalle of the Hypo Cultural Foundation and now appears on its second venue in Burgdorf. It offers a representative sample of current figurative painting with more than 40 artists from 12 countries.
The paintings on display were selected according to two main criteria. Firstly, the exhibition concentrates entirely on the image of human beings; secondly, it is strictly limited to contemporary production. "Young art instead of young artists" is the motto. The age of the artist was not the deciding factor in the selection process, but the dating of the piece. All the paintings in the show were produced in the 21st century.
The exhibition spawns interesting discourses between the different generations that it encompasses: the most recent works of predecessors and successors, teachers and students are displayed side by side. The paintings spanning from the exhibition's oldest artist, Maria Lassnig (born 1919), to the youngest, Johannes Tiepelmann (born 1979), form a colorful kaleidoscope of figurative painting in the 21st century.
Opening Reception at the museum franz gertsch: Friday October 13th, 2006 at 6.30pm
Site Hypo-Kunsthalle Munich www.hypo-kunsthalle.de


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As a child I never had that much of a sweet tooth, but I've found as I get older I enjoy a little sweet treat after dinner. Perhaps it's because I head to the gym straight after work and in the evenings my body feels it has earned a little indulgence… Whatever the reason, this decadent chocolate mousse that showcases the natural creaminess of avocado, needs no excuse.
You'll be amazed at how rich and satiating this recipe is, and trust me it's sure to curb any late night chocolate cravings. Not to mention it's actually good for you. But shhh, let's not dwell on that. Although this recipe is not a massive portion, this mousse is very rich so it's perfect for two, if you are willing to share…
- 40 grams 70% dark chocolate melted
- Small pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 tablespoon cacao powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking steps
- Melt chocolate over a water bath or in the microwave (approx 2 mins), stirring as it melts. Add a small pinch of chilli flakes to the melted chocolate.
- In a food processor add the avocado, chocolate, vanilla and cacao powder.
Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the oozy chocolate mixture into two pretty glasses.
Refrigerate for half an hour before serving (if you can wait).
- To serve you could sprinkle crushed coffee beans, grated chocolate, seasonal or frozen berries or any fruit of your choice.
* If you're vegan just leave out the melted chocolate and add extra cacao.
Avocado is a delicious antioxidant that is most commonly used in savoury dishes but thanks to its mild creamy nuttiness it can also be used to thicken desserts. Avocado can help lower cholesterol and they are high in Vitamin E and healthy unsaturated fats and Omega 3. They aide in keeping your heart healthy and also help slow down the ageing process. Can't argue with that.
Enjoy the healthy lush chocolate mousse. For serving suggestions and more tips, view recipe at The Loving Cook.com.au.
3,308 total views, 2 views today


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ITSC Senior Scientist for Modeling and Simulation Dr. Mikel D. Petty and his graduate students... Read More
PUBLICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS
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Product Delivery Record Server Data Transfer at the AMSR-E SIPS. IEEE International Geoscience & Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS '06). 2006 ;1:245-248..


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You can use the Site/App to make FastPass+ arrival window selections in advance for select park attractions and entertainment as well as pre-order meals at certain quick-service restaurants. Valid theme park admission required and other restrictions apply.
With Disney FastPass+ service, you will have the ability to get some of their favorite experiences in reserved in advance before even home, giving you more time to explore and discover the magic at Walt Disney World theme parks and resorts while you are on vacation. Here some highlights of the system which is currently in testing phases.
Newly added additions to the FastPass service:
Starting on Monday, April 28, 2014, all Walt Disney World Resort Guests will be able to make additional FastPass+ selections at in-park kiosks after they have redeemed their original (up to three) selections.


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I CAN remember a time when technology, and the people behind it, routinely filled me with a sense of wonderment — like the first time I logged into a chat room and, later, the first time I swiped open an iPhone.
Another memorable moment for me happened roughly six years ago, when I tried Goog-411, an experimental phone service from Google. At a time when smartphones were far from ubiquitous, the service allowed people to call a toll-free number and obtain business listings by using voice commands. It was partly an effort to improve Google's own internal software, but it left me marveling at its combination of technological brilliance and public service — completely in keeping with the company's motto of "Don't be evil."
Since then, such technological good will has faded into a kind of disillusionment, and not just for me, it seems. It feels as if the promise of the tech world — its utopian ideals and democratic aspirations — has dissolved into much more selfish pursuits of power and wealth. And the promising developments or companies that do emerge are often dimmed by their flashier peers, who tend to get a majority of the attention.
Just look at Google's impressive and much-hyped new product, Google Glass. While undoubtedly representing a technological leap, it has been criticized as a plaything for the geeky elite. And now the September issue of Vogue, in a 12-page spread, is positioning the product as a high-end style accessory.
At the same time, Google's business practices are under intense scrutiny, with critics saying the company unfairly blocks rival search engines and advertisers.
Then there is Facebook. Over the last few years, the company has been accused of valuing profits over privacy and the public good. So last month, when its chief, Mark Zuckerberg, announced an effort called Internet.org to expand Web access in the developing world, some contended that the plan was motivated mainly by self-interest.
Also last month, it was reported that Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's chief operating officer, sold 2.37 million shares of company stock for $91 million. Eyes rolled when, shortly thereafter, a listing appeared online calling for an intern to work unpaid at her nonprofit foundation. (The organization has since said it will pay its interns.)
If there was a single event this summer that symbolized the perceived excess of Silicon Valley, it was the wedding of Sean Parker, the co-founder of Napster. He threw a multimillion-dollar "Lord of the Rings"-themed wedding in the redwoods of Big Sur, complete with a nine-foot-high cake and custom-made costumes for the attendees.
Evgeny Morozov, author of "To Save Everything, Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism," said that events like Mr. Parker's wedding reflect "the kind of attitude that people find repelling." Although it's easy to find similar behavior in other sectors, like finance and real estate, its appearance within tech companies can be particularly galling, given the industry's humanitarian rhetoric, he said.
"Wall Street people don't claim to be saving the world," he said. "They are very cynical about what they do: make money and take nice weekends in the Hamptons." He also noted that many residents of the Bay Area, where much of the tech world is based, are struggling to find jobs and affordable housing as an influx of highly paid tech workers has pushed housing prices skyward.
In May, protesters in San Francisco — upset about rent increases — beat a piñata shaped like one of the Google shuttle buses that takes workers to the company's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.
Veterans of the technology world who have seen this pattern before — in the 1990s bubble that preceded the 2000-01 bust — say the outcry over the industry's excess seems particularly loud this time around.
Maybe that's at least partly because the tech elite has a much larger platform for bragging, preening and complaining. Popular social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr did not exist in the '90s, after all. Now any ill-advised photographs or posts on those sites are fair game for critics, who can fan the flames of outrage with posts of their own.
Peter Shih, co-founder of a payment site called Celery, for example, recently posted a satirical tirade against San Francisco on a blogging site that included complaints about the city's homeless population. A storm of protest around the Web ensued; Mr. Shih apologized and the post was removed.
Mr. Morozov thinks that there may be a hint of a silver lining in recent expressions of displeasure over tech executives' behavior. Until now, he said, the debate about the role of the modern tech industry has largely been limited to topics like online privacy.
"The virtuality of the debate has made it difficult for us to grapple with the consequences of the proliferation of the world outside of this bubble," he said. "Now that the effects of the tech world invade the physical environment, we have to figure out the necessary philosophical and intellectual framework to deal with it."


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Show Shines on Bowie Collectibles
Chicago -- David Bowie's bodysuits, handwritten lyrics and music videos star in a new exhibit of the singer's 50-year career.
Art collectors of ArtKabinett social media network are visiting the "Windy City" to view this exhibit.
The timing for the show is just right for Tony Karman, director of Expo Chicago, which opened yesterday with 140 galleries from 17 countries selling $60 million of modern and contemporary works.
Expo Chicago, now in its third year, is gaining a spot on the global art fair calendar, spurring the city to pile on with related events and exhibitions including "David Bowie Is" to draw wealthy collectors.
Two days after the fair's start, 750 people are expected to attend a Bowie-themed fundraiser for the Museum of Contemporary Art.
"Art fairs are about business as much as they are about collecting," Karman said. "The business titans of the world gather for art fairs. This city's leaders have recognized that."
Multiple Events
Among the more than 100 events, Riccardo Muti will conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a free concert at Millennium Park on Sept. 19.
At the museum fundraiser, singer Bryan Ferry will entertain guests including "Star Wars" creator George Lucas and Richard Perry, who runs the $10.9 billion hedge-fund firm Perry Capital.
The Art Institute of Chicago will show a 1980 series of appropriated news photos cropped and enlarged to 6.5 feet tall by Sarah Charlesworth, the late artist's first solo show at a U.S. museum in 15 years.
"That kind of collaborative effort has galvanized support for this fair," Karman said. About 30,000 people are expected to attend Expo Chicago, which runs through Sept. 21.
Some of the biggest international galleries have booths at this year's show including Marlborough Gallery, Matthew Marks Gallery, David Zwirner and Marianne Boesky Gallery, all of which will be at the larger Art Basel Miami Beach.
Eleven Rivington, based in New York, will offer Jackie Saccoccio's multi-layered abstract paintings for as much as $30,000.
Borzo, an Amsterdam-based gallery with a booth at Expo Chicago for the first time, features a $25,000 mixed media of dried grass mounted in frames by herman de vries, a Dutch artist who uses lower case for his name and who will represent the Netherlands in next year's Venice Biennale.
'Minimalist' Collection
"Chicago is our kind of town," said Jory van Rosmalen-de Koning, co-owner of Borzo, which will share a booth with London-based Mayor Gallery. "The collection we have is minimalist and conceptual and many Chicago collectors are interested in those works."
AXA Art Insurance Corp. estimated that more than $3 billion of art was displayed last year at Art Basel Miami Beach, which had 258 galleries from 31 countries. Karman estimates $60 million worth of art will be at Expo Chicago, which he said is unlikely to become "a mega fair."
"I want it to serve the Midwest and reach out to collectors and institutions in Denver, Dallas and Cincinnati," Karman said. "But you have to be an international fair. The top galleries expect me to turn out that part of the country along with the East and West coasts and Europe."
Chicago Galleries Represented
Among the artists represented this year in Richard Gray's booth are David Hockney, the English painter known for a series of colorful paintings of California swimming pools. Hockney's 1980 "Montcalm Pool, Los Angeles," has an asking price of $1.75 million.
Kavi Gupta, whose namesake gallery in Chicago also has a Berlin outpost, is returning with a booth for the third year and will also participate in Art Basel Miami Beach.
The Chicago fair is "by no means the biggest and the best, but it carved out a niche," Gupta said. "We're doing it because it makes sense. So many collectors fly anywhere if they feel like it. You don't hear them saying, 'I'm only going to New York and Miami.' That doesn't exist anymore."
"David Bowie Is" comes from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
The show, which opens Sept. 23 and runs through Jan. 4, is making its only U.S. stop before traveling to Paris. The exhibition, which traces Bowie's life and career, has more than 400 items, most on loan from the 67-year-old's archive.
'Passion' Investments
Rock memorabilia collecting is popular among wealthy baby boomers, said Doug Wolford, president of Convergent Wealth Advisors, a Potomac, Maryland-based wealth management firm with $8.5 billion in assets under management.
"Rock stars seem uncompromising and above the fray, and they resonate with the baby boom generation," Wolford said. "Most of these items are investments of passion, not a traditional investment. But you can apply good investing discipline: Buy at the lowest price and expect to hold for a long time."
On display will be more than 60 stage creations including a red leotard with hand-drawn winged rabbits worn by Bowie's androgynous persona Ziggy Stardust; the Union Jack coat designed by Bowie and Alexander McQueen for the "Earthling" album cover in 1997; and a striped vinyl bodysuit designed by Kansai Yamamoto for the 1973 "Aladdin Sane" tour. Photographs, storyboards, handwritten set lists and lyrics and Bowie's own sketches are included.
The exhibition "shows the breadth of the material and the breadth of Bowie's talent as a collaborative artist," said Michael Darling, the museum's chief curator. "He worked with other artists, poets, fashion designers and musicians."
Today's homepage Featured Art Video offers a preview of the David Bowie exhibition. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtfKA6KlNbY&sns=em


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Youth Sports on Sundays: A Paradigm Shift
Jesus Christ understood the concept that if you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done before.
When Jesus was about to ascend into Heaven, He told his disciples: "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." THAT is probably the GREATEST paradigm shift ever, when Jesus left this world and the Holy Spirit came to live in US. Now our responsibility is to USE the gifts and talents that God has given us to share the love of Jesus with all those we come in contact with. The challenge in this verse is for us to be "Jesus with skin on".
You have heard the ole saying: "that kid will be playing on Sunday one day." It seems as though the HIGHEST level of all sports are played on Sunday.
Chances are that sports are a part of your Sunday routine, whether it's watching the NFL, NBA, NASCAR, Major League Baseball, or simply playing catch in the afternoon with a friend or relative. Our Sundays involve plenty of sports, and now that trend has extended to YOUTH sports as well, the truth is it stinks. More than ever, young athletes and their families are spending entire weekends at tournament after tournament with their travel teams and their families – some of which would normally be in church, but many of which don't go to church anywhere anyway.
Most people will agree that, in general, youth sports today are a much bigger deal than they used to be 5 or 10 years ago. The good news in this is that families are spending time together. A negative byproduct of that growth is the increase in tournaments and games that take place on weekends - including Sundays, which naturally creates a conflict for those families who have commitments to both their sports teams AND their church families!
But this dilemma also creates an opportunity to reach out to those who are NOT churchgoers at all. If these families were not going to these tournaments, they probably wouldn't be coming to church either! As we all know, the vast majority of those who make a profession of faith do so because of a TRUSTED relationship. What better way to build trusted relationships with non-believers than to spend all weekend together OR multiple weekends together!
Wouldn't it be great if there weren't any sporting events that conflicted with sports families going to church every Sunday? Absolutely! But the reality is, these are the circumstances we find ourselves in: families are being forced to choose between going to church or going to tournaments on Sundays, and the Church had nothing to do with that change, it is just a sign of the times – and it doesn't look like that's changing anytime soon. The question is: how will the Church respond to these circumstances?
Unfortunately, when families choose sports, they are all too often looked upon with disapproving eyes by some of the leaders of the Church. Understandable! Unless you have a child who is a gifted athlete; if you DO have a child that has a love and gift for sports, it truly causes plenty of anxiety - in many cases these tournaments are the only opportunities for exposure to the next level of play...which could lead to college scholarships or ultimately a professional career. We know that the chances of that happening are very slim, but everyone wants to play at the highest level for as long as they can!
When families are discouraged from attending these Sunday tournaments, we could be missing out on an AMAZING opportunity for ministry; AND it's very possible that we could be creating a wedge between the Church and these families, not to mention the families who aren't going to church anywhere to begin with.
What if we were to approach this circumstance completely differently when it comes to sports families within the Church? What if we were to recognize that these families have been blessed with an incredible platform to be examples of Jesus Christ? Maybe it's time for a major paradigm shift as it relates to how we disciple these young families. What if we were to prop them up, instead of tearing them down?
Churchgoing families missing church to attend their kids' sporting events on Sundays IS a problem…but it's not nearly as big a problem as all of the families that don't attend a Bible-believing church at all.
If they won't come to church with us, then we are commanded to BE the Church to them! I believe God is providing our church member families with an opportunity to use their gifts and talents in sports to share the love of Jesus at those events. Instead of shunning these families, instead of shaking our heads when they miss a Sunday morning service, maybe we, the Church, should:
- TRAIN them – show them how to be intentional about BEING the Church to other, non-churchgoing families at these tournaments.
- PRAY OVER them – come together corporately and lay hands on these families in prayer; they are going out on MISSION!
- SEND them – instead of judging them for leaving, pray that the Lord would bless them on their MISSION as you send them out the door!
- CELEBRATE with them – publicly recognize them upon their return; let them share all the amazing things that God is doing on their MISSION field.
This would be a huge paradigm shift! A shift that could literally change the landscape of youth sports as we know it today, and generate so much more excitement and encouragement for these families to use sports as their personal ministry outlet. You can bet that when Jesus referred to us being His witnesses to "the ends of the earth," that statement included the people who show up at youth sports tournaments on the weekends!
Isn't it incredible to think about all the unique opportunities our God gives us to minister in this world? So many gifted witnesses are already out there, ready to go – let's TRAIN them, let's PRAY for them, let's SEND them, and by all means let's CELEBRATE what God does through these good and faithful servants upon their return. If you want something you've never had, you're going to have to do something you've never done before.
Find out more about how Upward Sports can help your church create a new ministry pathway out of these circumstances.


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Last month, UN Watch was the first to take the floor at the United Nations to challenge Italy for illegally arresting and deporting a Kazakh mother and her little girl back to the land of their oppressor. Three independent UN experts spoke out yesterday to condemn Italy's actions. And now the government in Rome may fall. The Financial Times has the full story below — and an editorial. Continue reading 'Italian coalition may fall over illegal deportation of Kazakh mother and daughter'
Archive for the 'Kazakhstan' Category
Last month, UN Watch took the floor of the UN Human Rights Council to demand justice for the family of a Kazakh dissident — a mother and her little girl — who were illegally deported from Italy back to the land of their oppressor. Today the Council's experts have spoken out: Continue reading 'UN rights experts urge Italy to seek return of illegally deported Kazakh mother and daughter'
UN rights council hears testimony on "unjust" Italian deportation of Kazakhstan dissident's wife and child
UN Watch Statement to UN Human Rights Council
Item 10: Technical assistance and capacity-building
Thank you, Mr. President.
UN Watch welcomes today's report by the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the field of human rights.
Annex 1 lists the 19 countries where human rights advisers have been deployed. One cannot help but notice that these are all located in the South, and in the East. Not a single country from WEOG, the Western group, is included. Yet some stand in clear need of human rights advice and capacity building.
Another potential beneficiary of human rights advice is Italy. Two weeks ago in Rome, on May 29, more than 50 armed police raided a house in search of a dissident from a foreign country. They did not find him, but they did find his wife and 6-year-old daughter. Both mother and child were swiftly deported to the foreign country, accompanied by its officials, even though that government is known to practice torture against opponents.
Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino has reportedly called this incident irregular. Surely, advice on international human rights law is needed.
The names of the unjustly deported were Alma Shalabayeva, and her daughter Aula; and the country they have dangerously been sent back to is Kazakhstan. Although recently elected a member of this UN Human Rights Council, it too appears in need of human rights advice.
Thank you, Mr. President.


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Blog Archives
Tony Anthony, Born Again Testimonies, And Poor Evangelical Theologies Of Conversion
Back in the days when the now-famous Ship Of Fools website was a print magazine thirty-odd years ago (aagh!), it printed in Issue 3 (June 1979) this cartoon strip. I reproduce it below with permission from the editor, Simon Jenkins, and Ship Of Fools.
How apposite this seems in the light of the Tony Anthony story. For those who have not heard, Anthony, an evangelist, had a book called 'Taming the Tiger' ghost-written by a journalist called Angela Little. Ever since its publication in 2004, some have been sceptical about claims Anthony makes in there about significant details of his life. Now, following the resignation of one of Anthony's trustees, Mike Hancock, an investigation has indeed shown that large parts of the book are untrue. Journalist Gavin Drake has many of the details. The Evangelical Alliance and Avanti Ministries issued this statement. Ghost writer Angela Little revealed some possibly surprising approaches and attitudes to research and verification in a conversation with someone on a martial arts discussion board. The publisher, Authentic Media, have issued a statement, but it is hard to detect any sense of them taking any responsibility for the debacle in their words.
But my purpose here is not to analyse this specific case. It isn't hard to find those on the Internet who are doing so. The reason for posting this is to ask what kind of culture promotes the lust for spectacular testimony books, such as Anthony's.
I suggest there are at least two reasons. The first, briefly, is that evangelical Christianity is too obsessed with celebrity. And if we haven't got any celebrities, we'll make some. In this respect, we mindlessly accept the values of the world. I have no wish to decry those who genuinely have become disciples of Jesus Christ through a dramatic route. God bless them. But celebrities are not more valuable than the unknown. Indeed, we believe – surely? – in a Jesus who was and is on the side of the marginalised.
But secondly, we have a huge issue over privileging dramatic conversions, and this troubles me pastorally. So often I hear Christians feeling inferior because they have not had a 'Damascus Road experience'. It may even make them doubt whether they are Christians at all. I tend to say, "Do you have to remember when you were born to know you are alive? No! You just need to notice the signs of life. And it is the same in spiritual matters."
In the early 1990s, Churches Together in England commissioned some work on conversion. It was published in 1992 by the British and Foreign Bible Society under the title 'Finding Faith Today', and was authored by John Finney. 54% of the 601 Christians interviewed said they knew of a time when they were not Christians,46% had 'always been Christians'. Of the former category, 38% spoke of a sudden conversion, and 62% gradual. Of the latter category, 80% had a gradual commitment, 20% sudden. Among evangelicals, it was as I reported: 37% sudden, 63% gradual. Among non-evangelicals, it was 80% gradual, 20% sudden. On average across all Christians, 31% had a datable conversion and 69% did not.
So if datable conversions are a minority experience among Christians, then dramatic datable ones must be an even smaller percentage. And I therefore have to ask how helpful they are, when ordinary Christians feel demeaned by them. I think publishers are partly responsible, and need to rethink their policies. I also think the wider Christian culture is possible, because whatever we say about these contributing to evangelism, in reality they are often treated as Christian entertainment with a spiritual veneer.
As Phil Groom asked on the Association of Christian Writers' Facebook page today,
Why do we need super conversion stories to proclaim the gospel? Isn't the gospel dramatic enough??
So – does an addiction to dramatic celebrity testimony indicate that we don't really believe in the Gospel?
Steve Chalke's Support For Faithful, Committed Gay Relationships
Media attention is hovering around Steve Chalke's article (due to be published in an abridged form in the next issue of Christianity magazine) in which he declares his support for faithful, permanent, exclusive gay relationships. The 'extended' article is here. For reasons of pastoral care – to protect deeply vulnerable, at-risk people – Steve takes the argument beyond exegesis to hermeneutics.
I have to say that on a first reading not every part of his biblical argument convinces me. Even his dear friend Tony Campolo writes sympathetically, but still committed to a conservative position.
Why do I think it's too much to hope for that the result of this will be a thoughtful, respectful conversation, one which is more about light than heat? Please, Christian world, prove me wrong.
UPDATE: the Christianity magazine material is now online. In addition to Steve Chalke's piece, there is a 'taking the temperature' article by editor Ruth Dickinson, and a conservative response by theologian Greg Downes: this is the extended version. There is also a brief response from Steve Clifford of the Evangelical Alliance, with the promise of a longer response later and a theological one from Steve Holmes of their Theology and Public Policy Advisory Commission.
An Appeal To Both Sides Of The Christian Debate About Gay Marriage
I have changed my views in the sexuality debate.
If you've known me for many years, this post might surprise you. If the 1993 Methodist Conference debate on sexuality had approved of homosexual relationships, I would have resigned as a probationer minister. Had our Pilgrimage Of Faith report in the mid-2000s approved the blessing of civil partnerships on Methodist premises, I would have had a serious problem of conscience. I would have regarded such decisions as tantamount to apostasy.
So I'm now supporting the gay rights agenda? No.
Are you confused? Join the club, and read on.
The more I watch the debate among Christians since the Government announced its consultation on gay marriage, the more I am concerned about the tone we are setting. Honourable exceptions granted, this post is an appeal for the exercise of Christian love and respect between those of opposing opinions. This is the area where I am working hard to change, not least by spending much more time reading different opinions and befriending people with opposing views. There are several areas where both sides need to listen to each other.
Both parties have launched petitions in support of their causes, and neither one deserves my support. Can we get past the sloganeering, please? The 'traditional' Coalition For Marriage begins with sloppy language:
Throughout history and in virtually all human societies marriage has always been the union of a man and a woman.
So they haven't heard of polygamy, even where kings of Israel take multiple wives. I agree with them that marriage is the exclusive life-long union of one man and one woman, but it hasn't always been like that, and a campaign that can't get its facts right from the outset is dodgy. The Coalition For Equal Marriageis equal in sloppiness. It starts,
I support the right of two people in love to get married, regardless of gender. It's only fair.
They don't answer the traditionalist point about the legal equality to marriage that civil partnerships give. They don't say why 'it's only fair'. The Reformed theologian Mike Bird, in commenting on the similar debate in Australia, wonders what distinctions rule gay marriage in and polyamory out. Please, then, can both parties think harder? Clear thinking and expression are important here.
In my native Methodism, the debate is tainted over thirty years by the 'Issues in Human Sexuality' report that reached Conference in 1982 (I think). It listed six grounds on which Christians discerned truth, ending notoriously with 'The spirit of the age', which was then used to trump traditional interpretations of biblical teaching. It gave the evangelical movement in Methodism (and please note in the current debate it isn't as simple as evangelicals versus liberals any more) fuel to claim that support for homosexual practice was opposition to Scripture. Therefore anyone who takes such a view is heretical. Still it is assumed by the great majority of evangelical Methodists that the Bible is clear on human sexuality: one man and one woman exclusively for life, and chastity outside of such relationships.
More widely, the public split ten years ago between the Evangelical Alliance and Courage made it look like the only 'biblical' position on this was opposition to homosexual practice.
However, what is different in the debate now is that those in favour of committed gay relationships are interacting much more seriously with the Scriptures. In this I include Christians of various denominations. Twenty years ago I don't think you would have had an organisation like Accepting Evangelicals, founded by Anglican priest Benny Hazlehurst. He won't remember me, but we crossed over at theological college by a year. If you want charismatic evangelical credentials, Benny can supply them: he was not long back from serving in Hong Kong with Jackie Pullinger when I met him in Bristol. But he believes that support for gay marriage can be held with integrity alongside a commitment to the authority of the Bible.
However, in my assessment there are strengths and weaknesses in both sides' biblical interpretation. The traditional view states that every scriptural reference to homosexual practice is negative (quite true), but those campaigning for change say that these reflect particular circumstances, such as abusive relationships and gay prostitution (as in the unusual Greek words used by Paul in 1 Corinthians), and that none of them reflects the contemporary notion of committed homosexual relationships.
I have to say I think that's (only) partly right. For example, go to a moving website such as Reluctant Journey, run by George Hopper, an elderly Methodist Local Preacher who became persuaded of the case for change, and who has sought to become a Christian friend to gay people. In his analysis of the biblical material, he argues that the centurion's servant who was healed by Jesus was most likely his master's gay partner. That suggests some level of commitment, and therefore unwittingly contradicts the pro-gay stance.
At this point my personality traits kick in, hoping to resolve the problem, but they don't help. You see, I'm one who goes for the wood not the trees, the big picture not the fine details – I'm 'N' not 'S' in Myers Briggs terms. So rather than get caught up in atomistic discussions of individual verses or even words, I ask where the overall trajectory is leading us. Even then I can't resolve it. The foundational principle for the biblical discussion in both Jesus and Paul is Genesis 2:24, which grounds everything in heterosexual terms:
For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
On the other hand, Jesus – who makes no comments about homosexuality – shows radical inclusion to social outcasts. You could argue it either way. Perhaps what we need is for people from both groups to sit down together rather than throw theological grenades.
I suspect science is becoming less relevant to the debate. Every now and again the media will publicise some story about a scientific basis for sexual orientation. This seems to have some populist appeal on the naïve 'If it's scientific it must be true' basis. None of these has ever convinced traditionalists. A doctrine of original sin is usually deployed to this effect. Moreover, as the American Baptist theologian Roger Olson recently argued that a scientific 'is' doesn't make for a behavioural 'ought'.
Until recently such scientific evidence has been used in support of gay rights.
However now even such a vocal campaigner as Peter Tatchell has admitted that the evidence is rather more fluid. I think I am right in saying (but have not found the link) to say that his line has become 'Never mind science, this is a human right'. Please either correct me if I am wrong or let me know where he said this.
All of which makes some of the arguments over Anglican Mainstream's use of controversial psychiatrists to oppose homosexuality rather irrelevant. And besides, even if they were to host a conference with a psychiatrist whose reputation could not be argued to be tarnished by their opponents, essentially their position in using psychiatry seems to be that homosexual orientation is a disorder. If it is, then it is a medical issue, not a moral one.
So what is the basis for deciding what's right and wrong in sexuality? What it all comes down to is, 'How do we know that we know?' In other words, to give it its technical word, epistemology, that is, the study of knowledge.
The traditional view takes the teaching of Scripture and makes the case I have described. Those seeking change used to put human reason more highly but that is now vulnerable. Some of the argument in the church is about differing interpretations of Scripture, particularly about which of the diverse elements of the Bible take priority, as well as the questions of translation and context.
Beyond that lies the 'secular' argument of human rights that is such a strong narrative in society. It seems to be based on an assumption that what two consenting adults do in private is nobody else's business, just so long as it is not harmful. Furthermore, it is influenced by a society that has downgraded the notions of responsibility and duty in favour of personal fulfilment.
And I do believe it is correct to call this a 'secular' argument. It is essentially premised upon the ideas of personal sovereignty and consumerism. Whatever view we take as Christians, we cannot get sucked in by these. Personal sovereignty contradicts the notion that Jesus is Lord. The consumerist attitude of personal fulfilment stands against sacrifice. And in passing, I note that the Church has not only asked homosexual people not to fulfil their feelings, she has asked many single women to do the same. For given both the teaching that Christians should only marry within the faith and the fact of female predominance in Church, many single women, not finding a life partner in Christian circles have seen it as their duty to stay celibate. Whether you agree with the teaching or not, at heart both parties have been called to make difficult and painful sacrifices.
Ours should be a conviction based on the big themes of the Gospel – a good Creator, who begins to make all things new in the wake of fallenness and brokenness, One who is seen supremely in his Son, a God of grace, truth and love. Which leads to my final thought.
A story: I used to take some students on placement with me from a Bible college. One team led a midweek discussion group based on Nicky Gumbel's book 'Searching Issues', which he wrote in response to the most commonly raised objections to Christianity raised on the Alpha Course. One of those topics was homosexuality, and the original chapter is now available as a separate booklet. Gumbel takes a traditional view of the subject.
During a debrief, I asked the students how they got on. 'We told them the biblical view,' said one. And I thought, 'Oh no, you didn't.' Because by 'the biblical view' I knew they only meant, 'what actions are right and wrong'. I said, 'You didn't give them a full biblical view if you didn't start from the position of God's unconditional love for all people.'
My spontaneous reaction that day is still a touchstone for me, especially because I am aware there are people on both sides (sorry to keep using that language, but I fear it's true) who are hurting. I have gay friends who have suffered hurt, rejection and bullying. I have theologically conservative friends who are worried that the Gospel and mission are at stake here. Add to them the single women I mentioned above, of course.
The Christian Church, then, needs a huge dose of love to work through this matter, and I expressed my concern about the tone of the debate in my introduction. That's the essence of my appeal here. I don't know, but I wonder whether we will work ourselves through to the kind of place that James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool, described a few years ago, to the consternation of many fellow evangelicals. His Presidential Address of March 2010 calls for 'diversity without enmity'. He believes that the differing convictions on this subject are analogous to the differences Christians hold on subjects such as the just war and pacifism.
Is his proposal possible or desirable? What do you think? Or should the Church stick to one particular position? Indeed, would Jones' proposal itself lead not to co-existence but to a singular conclusion?
Just one final word. I am happy to have comments from people of whatever persuasion, but in the spirit of this post I will watch for the tone of comments. Please, no labelling of people as homophobes or unbelievers. Let's see if we can demonstrate love in the tone of our contributions.
Aggressive Political Engagement?
Today, I received an email today from the Evangelical Alliance (to which I belong). Its main business was to promote their Christmas message, but it trailed other things, too. One was the latest snippet from their '21st Century Evangelicals' project. This was on political engagement. Here's what it said:
The latest in the Alliance's 21st Century Evangelicals research series looks at the question of how Christians are communicating as the world changes, bringing new technologies, new media and new ways in which we speak and listen to the world around us. The research shows that Christians are engaging in politics to a far greater degree than the average British citizen, and their weapon of choice is social media.
Clearly they're pleased with evangelicals being more politically engaged than most citizens. That in principle is good. There's just one problem. Did they mean to use the word 'weapon'? Did that deliberately convey a confrontational approach to politics by evangelicals? Was it an unwitting testimony to the way many of us in the evangelical tradition campaign politically – as badly as the mainstream politicians we criticise? Was it just accidental, in that they happened upon the familiar phrase 'weapon of choice'?
Let's hope it was just an accident. Because 'our fight is not against flesh and blood'.
Social Immobility
It's not what you know, it's Who you know – Marijke Hoek on Christian approaches to tackling social inequality.
A Novel Approach To Missional Church: Mike Burke's 'Daydream Believer'
No, not that one.
I first met Mike Burke at Trinity College, Bristol between 1986 and 1989. He was a guitar-toting, wisecracking Anglican ordinand, and I was a Methodist wondering where on earth God was calling me. When we left, we all had to pen fifty words about ourselves for a magazine sent to college supporters. It was no surprise when Mike wrote that he had fulfilled an ambition to get U2 played in college chapel.
Then we lost touch. He went off to his curacy in Sheffield, and I returned to the dark bowels of Methodism.
Years later (2001, I think), we bumped into each other again at an Evangelical Alliance conference in Cardiff. By then, he was a vicar in Gloucestershire. This time, we kept in touch. Often it was Mike sending me emails that I found ridiculously funny and my wife (who doesn't share the same sense of humour) found ridiculous.
In recent years, Mike has come out of parish ministry. He now networks for the Church Mission Society with local congregations. He has used his creative gifts to turn the difficulties of traditional church life today and the need to find new forms of missional church to reach today's cultures into a witty and poignant novel.
It makes sense from my perspective to communicate missional thinking in a narrative format. Much of the literature talks about the importance of story, so let's use story! The only other example I have ever encountered in this field (perhaps there are others) has been Brian McLaren's 'A New Kind of Christian' trilogy. However, McLaren has in my opinion more of an agenda for revising classical theology than Mike does. Moreover, the American church situation is considerably different from the British contexts.
I know I'm biassed, but do read Mike's book. You will find a healthy and humorous dose of reality, right through to the inner thoughts of the clergy. If you've ever wondered, then buy this!
Oh, and his first cultural quote is from Pink Floyd's 'The Dark Side of the Moon'. You can't go wrong.
My one gripe would be with Highland Books, the publisher. They seem to have laid off a proof reader in place of a computer spell-checker. It was The Forsyte Saga, not the Forsyth Saga (Brucie, you can have a rest). A quantity of paper is stationery, not stationary. Something you can't quite catch is elusive, not illusive.
Although I have just linked to it on Amazon, they were unable to fulfil my order, but I went through Amazon Marketplace to the trusty Book Depository, who sent me a copy quickly.
Election 2010: Some Preliminary Thoughts On Christian Perspectives
So the UK General Election will be on 6th May, as expected. In terms of Christian responses, Churches Together In Britain and Ireland has a dedicated site. The Evangelical Alliance and CARE have set up My Manifesto on Facebook and Twitter. Among my blogging friends, Paul Martin has written an eloquent post in which he calls for a preferential option for the poor. Peter Kirk discusses the Westminster Declaration, issued on Sunday by thirty largely well known Christian leaders, mostly (but not exclusively) from an evangelical background.
The latter stands for so many things both Peter and I believe in, yet there are concerns. It is pro-life, it favours options for the poor and unjustly treated and it upholds the sanctity of marriage. Yet the areas where it calls for Christian conscience to be protected are purely in the areas of what one might call 'personal morality' – the sexuality and sanctity of life areas. Peter thinks this is stilted, and I have sympathies with him in that view.
For example, if you hold a conservative view on sexuality, then none of the three major British political parties supports you any more. Labour has pioneered controversial legislation in this area. David Cameron for the Conservatives told Attitude magazine that the Archbishop of Canterbury should sort his church out on the issue. The Liberal Democrats have favoured gay rights for a long time, and in the recent controversy over the Christian owners of a B& B who would not accept a booking from a gay couple. the LD spokesperson Chris Huhne described anyone who believed gay relationships were wrong as a 'bigot'. If political preferences are drawn on this issue, there is no safe port. We are a minority, and this is what happens. We need to campaign for our views, but have to be careful about a Christendom-flavoured stridency on the issue, and that is what worries me about the tone of the Westminster Declaration: it sounds like militant demands.
(I recognise, of course, there are several friends who read this blog who do not see sexuality this way. I do not propose to argue the rights and wrongs of different views here, I simply state that I have never been convinced by the arguments of those who wish to show a different conclusion from the biblical texts. Sometimes I wish I could – it would make life easier in today's society – but I'm not.)
However, the Christian vote should surely never be on a single issue, but on a range. Christians of varying persuasions are often good at majoring on just one or two issues, not the big picture. Who will do the best good for the country, without us believing any messianic pretensions the parties may purport to offer? That's a thorny question indeed.
Not only that, Christians bring the issue of character alongside technical competence and policies. Paul Martin calls us to examine the character of the local candidates – he doesn't want simply those who will be cheerleaders for the national leaders. I sympathise with that, and especially at a time when integrity has to be a big question in our national politics. We can still do that in a General Election where there is only one candidate for each party in a constituency. It is less possible in elections where we have to vote for a number of candidates, since Tony Blair enacted legislation reducing that purely to a party contest. In those contexts he took the integrity vote away from the voters.
In short, it is getting harder and harder as each election comes and goes to know where I, as a floating voter, might place my cross. I have Christian friends who belong to each of the major parties, but I don't find it easy to identify with one political creed, although I know it is important if you are going to get involved to do so. Furthermore, like most of the electorate I don't have a technical understanding of economics, and so all those arguments that are presently raging are ones I feel I cannot call. I want to vote, not least because I have little right to complain about outcomes if I opt out, but that isn't an inspiring and positive reason. I am conscious, though, of those who sacrificed that we might have this freedom. I am not taking it lightly, but I can understand those who wonder whether it will make a difference. Did The Who get it right in 1971 with 'Won't Get Fooled Again' – meet the new boss, same as the old boss?
Truly, discernment and prayer are necessary in large quantities right now.
Lent Material
It's the last Sunday before Lent. (Yes, I know it's Valentine's Day and I haven't forgotten my lovely wife, but that's not what I'm writing about here.) I thought I'd recommend a couple of Lent resources.
First off, a collaboration that would have been unthinkable some years ago. The Methodist Relief and Development Fund and the Evangelical Alliance have combined to provide Bible study notes and weekly videos. You can download notes for 'What does the Bible say about power?' from the MRDF site; videos will be posted weekly from the 17th at the EA site. The EA are using this to link social justice with the Biblefresh initiative. Years ago, official Methodism wouldn't even have talked with the EA; what a wonderful sign of changed moods.
Secondly, just to say that Tom Wright's new book is out. 'Virtue Reborn' addresses issues of Christian character and behaviour – a good theme for Lent.
What are you doing for Lent?


text:
#WeArePR: The journey so far...
Blog post • Jun 30, 2015 11:00 BST
#WeArePR is a project is about listening.
We are conducting and publishing these interviews in no intentional order and as a result there was no way of knowing what we might find.
In this age of marketing evolution and convergence, it can be tempting to frame it as a discussion between those who have progressed (almost talked about like transcension) and those who have lagged behind.
But let's remember, evolution is about being fit for purpose. It also thrives on mutation.
So this it what we have learned so far...
Fortune favours the brave
In our first conversation, what has become clear is that the spectrum is not about advancement, it's about this marketing mutation more than anything.
Early on in our conversation with Paul Sonkamble, it became clear that we were seeing what comes out when you introduce someone to typical PR challenges but without any kind of institution influence.
Yes, this lead to innovation - but conceptually, that feels like a limited term for what we're trying to discuss here. When it comes to the individual level, Paul appears at the extreme of improvisation and excels in his role.
Without mentors, agency experience or any time in official PR roles, he has been presented with challenges and reacted with emergent behaviour. To some extent, everyone in the PR industry is in this same position - but most of us are equipped withmore of the institutional apparatus to influence how we approach the solutions.
Institutionalised innovation?
This institution is still incredibly strong - and in many cases, relevant and valuable. Many stakeholders haven't changed in their demands or expectations from PR. What used to work still works - it just requires adaptation.
This is evidenced by the discussion with Anders Sverke. After 27 years managing PR, he knows his audience, he knows what he needs to achieve. This is a man at the top of his game, executing and smashing his goals. People do not talkabout this side of the equation enough.
This is not a position of inferiority - this is a simply a reflection of a PR situation where the institutional approach is still an effective answer. At the same time, Anders has clearly thought about his methods and adapted to include technology and increased frequency in his strategy. He is improvising where needed.
This scope between improvisation and institutionalisation also demonstrates relevance for our third interview.
Pushing things forward
Christine Silfversparre's story reveals much of the ideological improvisation we've talked about so far. She has pushed against the institution in some of the most inflexible industries out there. In some ways this is to be expected (and hoped for) in anyone who joined this industry after 2008 or so.
At the same time, she still relies on an agency to deliver some improvisation. When talking about the tools and measurement to match her forward looking strategy, these are either being handled by the agency or work in progress (as they are in many many cases.) Partnership on improvisation is arguably a great opportunity for agencies and in house teams. It's a natural synergy that plays to the strengths of the agency model in a way perhaps not seen since it emerged into being nearly 100 years ago. There's a genuine opportunity to help companies work their way through a new way of communicating that is every bit as bold, uncharted and significant as the original press release.
As we approach the next series of interviews, we'll be watching closely to see how this spectrum may provide more analysis. It also helps draw our attention to key areas: for example, does this agency proposition bear scrutiny with other examples? To what degree can organisations of different sizes weather the dangers of improvisation and, if they don't, how does that affect their future potential?
We hope you've enjoyed our portrait of the modern marketing person so far. We're just getting started here but let us know if you have any questions, topics you'd like to see discussed or feedback on the process.


text: On Tue, Jan 02, 2001 at 10:28:51AM -0800, Bob Nielsen wrote: > On Tue, Jan 02, 2001 at 12:22:39AM -0800, email@example.com wrote: > > on Mon, Jan 01, 2001 at 09:28:57PM -0800, Bob Nielsen (firstname.lastname@example.com) wrote: > > > I had a problem with woody several days ago where X would die > > > immediately after starting, before the window manager took over. In > > > trying to fix it, I really messed up my X installation, so I decided to > > > downgrade to potato and did a fresh installation of 2.2r2. I did this > > > and everything was working fine (including X). > > > > > > Since I had started with a somewhat minimal installation I just added a > > > lot of new packages and now X dies immediately after starting with no > > > messages, which is the same behaviour I had before with woody. > > > > > > System is a K6/2-350 with 128 MB, Cirrus 5430-based video card with > > > 2048k videoram. > > > > > > Any ideas as to where I should be looking? > > > > How are you starting X? Command line or /etc/init.d scripts? Find an > > appropriate .xsession-errors file lying around anywhere? > > I use startx on the command line. There is no .xsession-errors (I > think that only exists in X 4.x). > > Funny thing is that I can run win4lin with the fwin command with no > problems. I just can't start an X session by itself. I've tried > different window managers with no effect. This is what occurred with > woody (running xserver-svga, not xserver-xfree86, since that appears to > be slightly broken and won't support 1024x768 resolution on my card). > > There is a slight difference in what happens with potato and what > happened with woody--in potato when it dies the line "waiting for X > server to shut down" gets written, while in woody that message did not > show up. > > I tried reinstalling xserver-common, xserver-svga, xfree86-common, > xbase-clients and xlib6g, but that made no difference. I think I'll > try uninstalling the X apps I added and see if the problem can be > traced to the existence of a specific package, but I doubt it will > help. > OK, removing most of the added X applications (I kept xterm and netscape) and now X is working again. I guess I need to reinstall them one-by-one to figure out which one is the culprit! Bob