The indigenous Chamorro people of Guam suffered many indignities as a result of a war acted out on their homeland.

Massacre Sites

In the final days of World War II on Guam, following orders from General Takeshi Takashina, soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army conducted gratuitous massacres—beheadings, bayonetings and grenadings, even disembowelments—at Fena Caves in Santa Rita (30 men and women), as well as at Faha Cave (30 men) and Tinta Cave (16 men and women killed—14 survived) in Merizo.

Massacres without just cause were committed by Japanese soldiers against the Chamorros in Tå'i, Mangilao (four men), in Hagåtña (eleven Chamorro men, women and children), also at Pigo Cemetery in Hagåtña, and in Chagui'an, Yigo (45 men, also reported as 51 men).

Concentration Camp Sites

An egregious atrocity was committed against the indigenous occupants of the land by dispossessing them of their homes and properties, forced labor, and herding and force-marching them to parts unknown under whatever guise.

Chamorro people, particularly senior citizens and children, suffered terrible deprivations and died of injuries, exhaustion, exposure, thirst, hunger, malnutrition, dysentery and other diseases en route to or at the Mañenggon concentration camp in Yona (number of dead unknown), and en route to or at the concentration camps at Tå'i, Mangilao, at As Inan in Chalan Pago, at As Lucas in Talofofo, at Malojloj, Inarajan, and at Merizo.

At the concentration camps, people died—or were killed—then were buried in unmarked graves.

No records exist concerning how many people died at or en route to Manenggon—or at the other camps in the south.

The memories of the atrocities suffered here endure in the hearts of the people of Guam.

Additional atrocities may have been perpetrated at other locations.

The Faha Massacre Site and Tinta Massacre Site are listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places.

An application for listing the Mañenggon Concentration Camp Site on the National Register of Historic Places is in process.

The Japanese Caves site is listed on the Guam Register of Historic Places.