A strategic military doctrine employed by the United States in the Pacific Theater during World War II involved bypassing heavily fortified enemy islands and instead concentrating on strategically important, less-defended targets. This approach aimed to seize key locations that could support further advances, cutting off supply lines and isolating Japanese garrisons on bypassed islands.
This strategy proved pivotal in shortening the war and minimizing American casualties. By focusing on key islands suitable for airfields and naval bases, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps could leapfrog across the Pacific, gradually closing in on the Japanese home islands. This approach deprived Japan of resources and weakened their defensive capabilities, ultimately contributing to their surrender.