About this episode

This episode covers the American island hopping strategy in the Pacific during 1943, focusing on Operation Cartwheel and the Battle of Tarawa, alongside Eleanor Roosevelt's morale-boosting tour.

“The ultimate defeat of Japan [will] be accomplished by blockade, bombing, and assault.” This is the story of American island hopping—or should we say leapfrogging?—through Pacific waters.  By 1943, the Japanese are settled in for the long haul, no matter what it may cost. America sees some successes like new skip bombing techniques at the Battle of the Bismarck sea, but a change of strategy is needed for real gains. American leaders General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral William "Bull" Halsey launch Operation Cartwheel, a strategic campaign of amphibious landings designed to neutralize Japanese strongholds like Rabaul, Papua New Guinea without attacking head-on.  Meanwhile, even though the Solomon Islands are still an active war zone, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt undertakes a morale-boosting tour, visiting every wounded soldier she possibly can. Just a few short months later, Americans win the brutal Battle of Tarawa at great cost, a decisive victory that exposes the devastating realities of island warfare to those back home. Is each tiny island in the Pacific worth this much death? Or can another path be found?  ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep…

People in this episode

Host: Prof. Greg Jackson

Topics covered

• Pacific War
• Operation Cartwheel
• Eleanor Roosevelt
• island hopping
• Battle of Tarawa
• military strategy
• World War II

Keywords

• Pacific War
• Operation Cartwheel
• Eleanor Roosevelt
• Battle of Tarawa
• island warfare
• military strategy
• World War II
• General Douglas MacArthur
• Admiral Halsey
• Japanese strongholds

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Pacific, Tarawa, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, Japan

More episodes of History That Doesn't Suck

• 15 (Second Edition): “We the People:” Constitution Making in Philly · September 6, 2026 · 1h 8m
• 211: Pacific Theater Epilogue with Capt. Mac Caldwell · August 24, 2026 · 55 min
• 210: The Pacific War 1944: From the Cairo Conference to the Marianas Turkey Shoot · August 10, 2026 · 59 min

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