After the bloodbath at Guadalcanal, America changed its strategy..."
Instead of attacking every strongly defended Japanese island, the US began 'Island Hopping'. They would capture only the most important islands needed for airfields and naval bases, then bypass the rest."
Starting in late 1943, they hit Tarawa, then Kwajalein, then Saipan. Each captured island became a stepping stone, bringing American bombers closer and closer to Japan itself."