Marine infantrymen and airmen traveled a long and difficult road during the island-hopping campaigns of 1942, 1943, and early 1944, carving a deadly path from Guadalcanal through the Solomons into the Bismarck Archipelago and from Tarawa in the Gilbert islands through the Marshall Islands. The South and Central Pacific campaigns forged undertrained Marines into battle-hardened veterans ready to continue westward across the Pacific, from Saipan to Tinian, to Guam, to Peleliu, to Iwo Jima, and then to Okinawa. These final stepping stones to Japan would not come easy; in spite of being better equipped and combat tested, months of brutal combat lay ahead for the Marines conquering these islands of hell. -- From the book jacket.

The Marianas. Saipan -- Tinian -- Guam -- Unsinkable aircraft carriers -- Peleliu and Iwo Jima. Peleliu -- Iwo Jima -- Okinawa. On the beach and in the north -- The fight in the south -- Over the hills and into the cities.