Final answer:
The United States used an island-hopping strategy to win the Pacific War during World War II, which involved capturing strategic islands to advance towards Japan. Option C is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
To win the war in the Pacific, the United States implemented a strategy called island-hopping. This was a tactical approach where the navy and marines would move westward, capturing key islands and establishing airbases as they advanced towards Japan.
This strategy was essential for U.S. forces because it allowed them to neutralize Japanese airfields on various islands, which could otherwise be used to launch attacks on American forces.
The official foreign policy of the United States at the start of World War II in 1939 was characterized as isolationist. American citizens preferred to keep the country out of foreign wars, and the government focused on not intervening in the affairs of other nations.
However, following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the United States abandoned its isolationist stance and entered World War II, directly assisting the Allies with production and manpower.
Throughout the Pacific Campaign in 1944, American forces progressively drew closer to Japanese territory, seizing strategic islands like Saipan and winning significant confrontations such as the Battle of the Philippine Sea. With each island captured, American forces edged closer to mainland Japan, continuously undermining the Japanese hold over the Pacific region.