Question

How did the “island-hopping” strategy save American lives in World War II?
US forces only attacked Japanese-held islands with strategic importance.
Allied forces attacked Japanese-held island by sea and air only.
US forces attacked Japanese-held islands with weak defenses.
Allied forces attacked different islands, sharing the losses equally.

Answer 1

Correct answer: US forces only attacked Japanese-held islands with strategic importance.

Explanation: Island-hopping (leapfrogging) bypassed heavily fortified islands and seized only those with airfields or naval bases useful for advancing toward Japan. Bypassed strongholds were isolated, cut off from supplies and rendered irrelevant by air and naval power. This avoided many costly frontal assaults on well-defended positions, reducing American casualties and speeding the advance. The other choices are incomplete or incorrect.