What was MacArthur's strategy to seize islands not heavily defended by the Japanese to move closer to Japan ?

Answer 1

Your question seems to answer itself.

Answer 2

No, some of the islands in the Pacific Theater were very heavily defended which resulted in very heavy casualties for American Army and Marine troops. The strategy was island hopping and bypassing islands which neutralized the Japanese troops on the bypassed islands since they could not be supplied and supported by Japan.

Answer 3

(1) Establish absolute naval supremacy around the island to cut off supply and communications links with Japan.

(2) Establish total air supremacy around the island to be able to assist the invasion and follow-up operations.

(3) With support from shore and aerial bombardment, storm ashore with the Marines and other infantry forces and then follow through with the reinforcement echelons (including heavy weaponry that couldn't fit on amphibious assault craft).

(4) Clear out the defenders.

This technique ("island-hopping") was used quite successfully by both Nimitz and MacArthur up until after the Marianas campaign, at which point the Americans started invading islands like Iwo Jima and Okinawa, which the Japanese garrisoned heavily, fought tenaciously for, were able to mount even limited naval and air challenges (including kamikaze air attacks), and inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers (though not nearly as heavily as they themselves suffered).

This is an extremely rough depiction, and you should probably flesh it out by searching for material in a local or school library.

Answer 4

I believe it spawned the term "island-hopping" strategy.

Answer 5

island hoping