What military strategy used during World War II involved selectively attacking specific enemy-held islands and bypassing others?

• A. Island Hopping
• B. Total War
• C. Blitzkrieg
• D. Siege

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested is a strategy in the Pacific where Allied forces chose to seize only certain enemy-held islands that offered useful bases and airfields, while bypassing others. This approach, known as island hopping, let them build a chain of forward bases to project air and naval power toward Japan, shorten supply lines for their own forces, and avoid costly assaults on every island—especially those heavily fortified. By capturing stepping-stone islands like Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, they pierced closer to Japan while leaving more difficult targets isolated and unable to interfere with the advance. In contrast, the other options describe different military concepts: blitzkrieg was a rapid German attack strategy in Europe; siege is a long, encircling attack on a fortified position; and total war refers to mobilizing a nation’s entire resources for war.