Why was it difficult for the Allies to take the Pacific islands?

The islands in the Pacific were important for both the Japanese and the Americans to maintain control of. Whoever was effectively able to control the islands in the Pacific could essentially control the shipping routes of the Pacific Great Circle.

The Battle of Midway took place over the islands of the Midway group in the Pacific Ocean and to the north and west of the islands.

To stop the Japanese from controlling the Pacific ocean. They could have launched further attacks on the Americas and other islands from there.

Call It Courage takes place on islands in the pacific coast.

WW2 was a two front War and with the Pacific fleet damaged at Pearl it took a bit to build more ships, but they did plan and work on how to take back the Pacific Islands. These had to be taken back one by one with beachheads for each island. The Japanese were very entrenched in the islands with tunnels and supplies. The allies had to fight for every inch of land they took back…

That was the Battle of Midway Island.

Island-Hopping. They would only takeover the important islands that Japan controlled. It would take longer for them to take back all the islands.

The Midway Islands are in the Pacific, roughly halfway between North America and Asia. The battle (in 1942) was an early victory for the Allies (although it would take another three years to defeat Japan into surrender).

Island Hopping

There were two fronts in WW2. The European theater and the Pacific. Hitler had invaded 39 countries, so the Allies had to take back those countries. They entered through the beaches of France ( this is D Day) and fought their way through to rest of the countries into Berlin, Germany. The Pacific war was battles/beachheads on specific islands held by Japan. Each island had to be taken one by one until they were free…

Midway Islands (island group, the Pacific/United States) Battle of Midway (History)

You can't drive from Ohio to Hawaii. Hawaii is a set of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You have to take a plane or boat to get there.

Americans wanted to take over Hawaii. The islands are strategically located to secure the Pacific and the crops were profitable.

When the war started, Germany had colonies in the Pacific, and controlled a small territory in China. Japan decided to take advantage of the war, and joined the side of the Allies, correctly predicting that after they won, the other Allies would allow Japan to keep those colonies.

the island were critical as bases from which allied bomber could reach japan

Because the Japanese hookers we're becoming over powering

As an open nation, visitors were always comming to the U.S., including Hawaii. Japan really liked Hawaii and wanted to take over the islands of the Pacific. It didn't take much. They had spies and ambassadors who took pictures. It wasn't that difficult to get a good idea of where things would be.

Japan became allies with Germany because Germany could take Europe and Japan could take the Pacific so their forces could take the world.

WWII in Europe was a Land War. WWII in the Pacific was an Ocean War. Discounting the CBI Theater (China, Burma, India). The Axis (Japan) took islands in the pacific and fortified them into military garrisons/AIRFIELDS & NAVAL BASES. These were needed to "Protect" the Empire. The Allies (US, Britain, Australia, New Zealand) fought to take those island garrisons/AIRFIELDS & NAVAL BASES back. These were needed to "Attack" the Empire. That was the strategy. The…

1. They wanted to dominate the islands of the Pacific and Hawaii was a prime target because it's an excellent sea port right in the middle. 2. They wanted to dominate the islands of the Pacific and didn't want the United States interfering with their efforts elsewhere. 3. They wanted to prove to their people back home that they had a superior military and that their efforts to take over the islands of the Pacific…

The Pacific theater required air power because there were small islands in the Pacific that had been invaded by Japan. In order to take the islands planes were used to drop bombs and to fight the Japaneese airforce. Then, the troops landed and took each island one by one. If you would like to see the war in the Pacific watch the series Victory at Sea. It documents the Pacific war.

Plate tectonics is responsible for the formation of Pacific islands. As plates move against each other, they generate friction which causes volcanic activity. Over time, the volcanic activity breaks the surface of the water and forms islands. This can take hundreds of thousands of years. The entire time, the plates are still shifting, causing this volcanic activity to create islands spreading out from the source. Hawaii is a perfect example of this activity.

Their strategy was to split the Allied Forces in the Pacific. MacArthur lead forces in the SW Pacific. He was based in Australia. His force went after the Japanese to repel them from the islands. They had to cut off the communications lines of the Japanese by re-taking some of the islands the Japanese occupied near China. Nimitz led the Naval force that went after islands starting from the Coral Sea and on up to…

I am not an expert, but from what I understand they needed each island group as a base from which to launch more attacks, and create a defensive perimeter around the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere. If and when the allies counterattacked, they could use forward islands to disrupt enemy supply lines, engage in battles with a strong defensive advantage, and deny the Americans bases of their own.

The Japanese took over China, Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, Guam, and many others. Hope this is helpful!! :)