Which campaign in June 1943 included landings at Guam, Saipan, and Tinian to provide bases for naval and air power?

• A. Battle of Wake Island
• B. Battle of Tarawa
• C. Battle of the Mariana Islands
• D. Battle of Guadalcanal

Answer: (C)

The essential idea is using a chain of forward bases to project air and naval power toward Japan. The campaign that aimed to seize Guam, Saipan, and Tinian so these islands could host large airfields and serve as a fleet staging area is the Mariana Islands campaign. Securing these three islands provided bases for long-range bombers and for coordinating naval operations, enabling sustained pressure on Japan and broader reach across the Pacific. Other battles listed did not involve all three islands or focus on establishing that kind of base network. (Historically, the Saipan and Tinian landings occurred in 1944, with Guam following soon after.)