Island Hopping (a.k.a. Leapfrogging) was a military strategy used by the Allies in 1943 during the Pacific War against Japan and the Axis Powers. Led by General Douglas MacArthur, Commander of the Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific, and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, the U.S. launched a counter-offensive strike establishing a line of overlapping island bases , including air control. In a nutshell, the idea was to capture certain key islands (island hopping), concentrating the limited Allied resources on strategically important islands that were not well defended until Japan came within range of the American bombers
On April 26th, 1942, Admiral William “Bull” Halsey, commander of the U.S. Third Fleet, flew to MacArthur’s headquarters to discuss campaign strategy, resulting in Operation Cartwheel. Operation Cartwheel was a codename for the two branches to the Island Hopping strategy which would corner the Japanese forces at Rabaul Island on New Britain: Allied forces under Admiral Nimitz would push across northeastern New Guinea while naval forces secured the Solomon Islands to the East.
The initial move of the campaign came in the Gilbert Islands on November 20, 1943, the capture of the island enabling the Allies to move on to the Marshall Islands and then the Marianas; going into the Marshall Islands, the U.S. troops overcame Kwajalein and Eniwetok in 1944. Allied forces advanced through Saipan and the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Guam and Tinian, Peleliu, Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and finally Okinawa.
With Okinawa secured and American bombers attacking Japanese cities, planning moved forward for the invasion of Japan, resulting in the atomic bombs that ended the war. Island hopping allowed the US to reach Japan more quickly and not expend the time, manpower, and supplies to capture every Japanese-held island on the way; this strategy was a key point to the end of the war and the Allies’ victory.
On April 26th, 1942, Admiral William “Bull” Halsey, commander of the U.S. Third Fleet, flew to MacArthur’s headquarters to discuss campaign strategy, resulting in Operation Cartwheel. Operation Cartwheel was a codename for the two branches to the Island Hopping strategy which would corner the Japanese forces at Rabaul Island on New Britain: Allied forces under Admiral Nimitz would push across northeastern New Guinea while naval forces secured the Solomon Islands to the East.
The initial move of the campaign came in the Gilbert Islands on November 20, 1943, the capture of the island enabling the Allies to move on to the Marshall Islands and then the Marianas; going into the Marshall Islands, the U.S. troops overcame Kwajalein and Eniwetok in 1944. Allied forces advanced through Saipan and the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Guam and Tinian, Peleliu, Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and finally Okinawa.
With Okinawa secured and American bombers attacking Japanese cities, planning moved forward for the invasion of Japan, resulting in the atomic bombs that ended the war. Island hopping allowed the US to reach Japan more quickly and not expend the time, manpower, and supplies to capture every Japanese-held island on the way; this strategy was a key point to the end of the war and the Allies’ victory.