We have been very successful with our island hopping strategy in the Pacific theater. So successful, that we are at a point of realizing our goals with the island hopping strategy - closeness to mainland Japan for a military base to be used as a base for direct attacks on Japan. We have the following reasons for the invasion of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
1. Providing fighter cover for the application of our air effort against Japan.
2. Denying these strategic outposts to the enemy.
3. Furnishing air defense bases for our positions in the Marianas.
4. Providing air fields for staging bombers against Japan.
5. Precipitating a decisive naval engagement.
6. Install air-sea rescue units based on the island to promote the rescue of downed aircrews.
7. Taking Iwo Jima removed a Japanese early-warning system for Superfortress bombing raids.
These islands are very important to ending the war in the Pacific - and saving American lives by reducing the timeframe for an unconditional surrender, and need to invade other islands and incur many more casualties. My ultimate goal is to end the war as quickly as possible with the fewest lives lost.
Yours in Victory,
FDR
