The Rising Sun by John Toland

Hundreds of japanese civilians joined the few remaining troops in an orgy of self destruction. Parents threw their children off the cliffs and jumped after them. Whole families waded and swam out to sea to drown themselves. There are so many bodies off shore that the americans can't even bring ships in because they're having to plough their way through the human wreckage. No one knows exactly how many civilians on sipan died, either through suicide or getting caught in the war.