Island hopping was an important part of the Allied strategy, which focused on isolating and blocking enemy forces rather than attacking them. This article will explore the failures and costs of this strategy. Let's start by looking at how Japan's limited resources led to this tactic.
Allies strategy of attacking and blocking instead of attacking
"Island hopping," also known to as "leapfrogging," is an Allied strategy used by the US Navy in the early twenty-first century to dominate Japan's Western Pacific area. Japanese imperial officer studied the strategy and adopted it in their Southeast Asian offensive after it was published by a British journalist. "Island hopping", a tactic that Allied troops used to evade enemy forces, was a well-known strategy by the end of World War II.
After the Pacific War started, the Allied forces continued to "island hop" around the Pacific, gaining ground and moving closer to mainland Japan. Once they had seized Rabaul and others islands, they moved their focus to the Philippines, Gilbert and Marshall Islands which were Japanese strongholds. As a result, the Allied forces could successfully blockade these areas and starve Japan into submission.
Campaign for Allied 'island hopping success
The Allied Island Hopping Campaign proved to be a very successful strategy during WWI. This tactic, also known as Leapfrogging, allowed the Allies to move quickly and easily across the ocean, bypassing the Japanese in the process. The Japanese were then unable continue with their offensive operations and were ultimately defeated by the United States.
Cost of Allied island hopping’ campaign
In the late 1940s, the United States began the "island-hopping" campaign to capture small islands in the Pacific. It was intended to establish military bases and prepare for an invasion by Japan. It was a tremendous success but also very costly. The U.S. lost almost 20,000 soldiers during the 36-day Battle of Iwo Jima.
The Allied forces continued their "island hopping" campaign throughout the Pacific, gaining ground in areas closer to mainland Japan. Okinawa was Okinawa's last major island. The island was vital to the Allied bombing campaign against mainland Japan.