Island hopping was an important part the Allied strategy. The strategy focused on isolating, blocking, and destroying enemy forces instead of attacking them. This article will examine the effectiveness of the strategy and discuss the costs. Let's start by looking at how Japan's limited resources led to this tactic.
An Allied strategy that isolating and blocking, rather than attacking
"Island hopping", also known as "leapfrogging", is an Allied strategy that was developed by the US Navy general staff in the early 20th-century to control Japan's Western Pacific region. Japanese imperial officials studied the strategy after it was published in 1920 by a British journalist. They then adopted it for their Southeast Asian offensive. "Island hopping," a tactic that Allied troops had adopted by the end World War II, was a standard tactic.
The Allied forces "island hopped" across the Pacific after the Pacific War began, gaining ground and closer to Japan. After they had taken Rabaul, and other islands, the Allied forces shifted their attention to the Philippines, Gilbert, and Marshall Islands. These islands were Japanese strongholds. The Allied forces were able to successfully blockade these areas, starving Japan into submission.
Success of the Allied island hopping’ campaign
The Allied island hopping campaign was a highly effective strategy in WWI. Leapfrogging, also known, enabled the Allies swiftly and easily to cross the ocean without having to stop at the Japanese. 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. The campaign was hugely successful, but it was also very costly. The U.S. lost almost 20,000 soldiers during the 36-day Battle of Iwo Jima.
The Allied troops continued their "island hopping” campaign across the Pacific, gaining ground nearer to Japan. Okinawa was the final major island reached by the Allied Forces. It was vital in the Allied bombing campaign to destroy mainland Japan.