Leapfrogging (military strategy) - Revision history

Conservative: /* See also */

2025-07-25T22:21:01Z

‎See also

Conservative at 22:18, July 25, 2025

2025-07-25T22:18:58Z

Conservative at 18:39, July 25, 2025

2025-07-25T18:39:58Z

Conservative at 01:11, January 25, 2023

2023-01-25T01:11:40Z

Conservative at 01:08, January 25, 2023

2023-01-25T01:08:12Z

Conservative at 02:17, January 18, 2022

2022-01-18T02:17:04Z

Conservative at 03:48, January 16, 2019

2019-01-16T03:48:04Z

Conservative at 03:47, January 16, 2019

2019-01-16T03:47:30Z

Conservative at 03:44, January 16, 2019

2019-01-16T03:44:11Z

Conservative at 03:42, January 16, 2019

2019-01-16T03:42:48Z

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 *[[List of military strategies and concepts]]
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
 [[Category: Military]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:Macarthur1.jpg|thumbnail|right|201px|General [[Douglas MacArthur]] used the military strategy of leapfrogging in the [[World War II#Pacific War (Far East)|Pacific War]] in [[World War II]].
+[[File:Macarthur1.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|General [[Douglas MacArthur]] used the military strategy of leapfrogging in the [[World War II#Pacific War (Far East)|Pacific War]] in [[World War II]].
 <br />
 <br />

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 Key Points:
-*Leapfrogging  was a military strategy that entailed bypassing and isolating heavily fortified [[Japan]]ese positions while preparing to take over strategically important islands. It originated from island hopping. The strategy of not attacking strategically important locations is an ancient strategy. The military strategist [[Sun Tzu]] wrote: "Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical."
+*Leapfrogging  was a military strategy that entailed bypassing and isolating heavily fortified [[Japan]]ese positions while preparing to take over strategically important islands. It originated from island hopping. The strategy of not attacking strategically unimportant locations is an ancient strategy. The military strategist [[Sun Tzu]] wrote: "Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical."
 *Island hopping entailed taking over an island and establishing a military base there. The base was in turn used as a launching point for the attack and takeover of another island.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 Key Points:
-*Leapfrogging  was a military strategy that entailed bypassing and isolating heavily fortified [[Japan]]ese positions while preparing to take over strategically important islands. It originated from island hopping.
+*Leapfrogging  was a military strategy that entailed bypassing and isolating heavily fortified [[Japan]]ese positions while preparing to take over strategically important islands. It originated from island hopping. The strategy of not attacking strategically important locations is an ancient strategy. The military strategist [[Sun Tzu]] wrote: "Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical."
 *Island hopping entailed taking over an island and establishing a military base there. The base was in turn used as a launching point for the attack and takeover of another island.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:Macarthur1.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|General [[Douglas MacArthur]] used the military strategy of leapfrogging in the [[World War II#Pacific War (Far East)|Pacific War]] in [[World War II]].
+[[File:Macarthur1.jpg|thumbnail|right|201px|General [[Douglas MacArthur]] used the military strategy of leapfrogging in the [[World War II#Pacific War (Far East)|Pacific War]] in [[World War II]].
 <br />
 <br />

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:Macarthur1.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|General [[Douglas MacArthur]] used the military strategy of leapfrogging in the [[World War II#Pacific War (Far East)|Pacific War]] in [[World War II]].]]
+[[File:Macarthur1.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|General [[Douglas MacArthur]] used the military strategy of leapfrogging in the [[World War II#Pacific War (Far East)|Pacific War]] in [[World War II]].
 According to the digital education website Lumen learning:
 {{Cquote|Leapfrogging” was the [[Allied Powers|Allied]] strategy of bypassing and isolating fortified positions by focusing on strategically important islands.

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 Island X serves as air base, safe anchorage, and supply depot for the men and materiel being ferried from [[Australia]] or [[Hawaii]]. Fresh marine and army divisions receive their last-minute training before their amphibious assault on island Y with support from naval forces and aircraft based on island X. This strategy was employed during the Solomons campaign and later at [[Iwo Jima]] and [[Battle of Okinawa|Okinawa]].
-Island-hopping proved to be a strategic necessity early in the [[Pacific war|World War II#Pacific War (Far East)|Pacific war]]. As 1942 drew to a close and 1943 began, the Allies could muster only limited carrier strength because of losses around [[Guadalcanal]]. At one point in October 1942, USS Enterprise was the only operational aircraft carrier in the theater, and it desperately needed an overhaul. Until the new Essex-class carriers became operational, amphibious attacks could not be supported beyond the range of land-based aircraft. Consequently, hopping from island to island under cover of aircraft from nearby bases was the only practical option.<ref>[https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2016/03/29/island-hopping-and-leap-frogging-u-s-strategies-part-i/ Island-Hopping and Leap-frogging, U.S. Strategies Part I]</ref>}}
+Island-hopping proved to be a strategic necessity early in the [[World War II#Pacific War (Far East)|Pacific war]]. As 1942 drew to a close and 1943 began, the Allies could muster only limited carrier strength because of losses around [[Guadalcanal]]. At one point in October 1942, USS Enterprise was the only operational aircraft carrier in the theater, and it desperately needed an overhaul. Until the new Essex-class carriers became operational, amphibious attacks could not be supported beyond the range of land-based aircraft. Consequently, hopping from island to island under cover of aircraft from nearby bases was the only practical option.<ref>[https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2016/03/29/island-hopping-and-leap-frogging-u-s-strategies-part-i/ Island-Hopping and Leap-frogging, U.S. Strategies Part I]</ref>}}
 == Related books ==

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 *Leapfrogging would allow U.S. forces to reach Japan more quickly and not expend the time, manpower, and supplies to capture every Japanese-held island on the way. It would also give the Allies the advantage of surprise and keep the Japanese off balance.<ref>[https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-ushistory/chapter/the-war-in-the-pacific/ The War in the Pacific: Leapfrogging to Tokyo], lumenlearning.com</ref>}}
-[[Image:Midway Atoll.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Midway [[Atoll]], as it looked in November, 1941]]
+[[Image:Midway Atoll.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Midway [[Atoll]], as it looked in November, 1941]]
 According to the website Weapons and Warfare:
 {{Cquote|Advancing in either the southwest [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] or the central Pacific after the [[Battle of Midway]] in June 1942 required the Allies to attain several objectives. First, the U.S. Pacific Fleet needed to keep the Japanese Combined Fleet in check, if not totally destroy it. Second, Allied [[air superiority]] had to be established and maintained with both land- and carrier-based aircraft. Third, Allied forces needed to carry out repeated large-scale amphibious assaults. Finally, rolling back the Japanese forces meant attacking a strategic defense-in-depth in the Pacific, where island chains potentially served as mutually supporting bases of operations. To reach all these overlapping objectives, the Allies employed “island-hopping” and “leap-frogging” strategies to maximize limited resources, shorten time, and reduce casualties.