History - War at a Glance

Island Hopping By August 1944, the Americans have regained control of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands (including Guadalcanal) and retaken the Gilbert Islands (including Tarawa), the Marshall Islands (including Kwajalein), Guam, and Saipan. They learn a great deal about amphibious landings in the process, primarily the value of preinvasion bombardment from the sea and air. They will use this knowledge during Operation Overlord. While much of the fighting in the Pacific is bitter and bloody, there is little doubt about the eventual outcome. The Japanese strategy shifts from trying to repel the invading Americans to trying to make the capture of each island so bloody the Americans will sue for peace. But the Japanese navy never recovers from the defeats at the Coral Sea and Midway. The loss of the ships is damaging, but the loss of trained carrier pilots is even more damaging. Without naval support, island garrisons are cut off from reinforcement, resupply, and, ultimately, retreat. The war that Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto feared - a war where American flexes its industrial muscle - is the war Japan now faces.