Operation Flintlock was the campaign against the Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands

The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...

 in the Pacific campaign

Pacific War

The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...

 of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, from January to February 1944. The operation involved the invasions of Kwajalein

Battle of Kwajalein

The Battle of Kwajalein was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought from 31 January-3 February 1944, on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Employing the hard-learned lessons of the battle of Tarawa, the United States launched a successful twin assault on the main islands of...

 and Eniwetok

Battle of Eniwetok

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 atolls.

This attack sank a large number of Japanese ships and stripped the air base at Truk of its offensive potential. With Truk neutralized, it could be bypassed, forgoing a costly invasion. Executed on 31 January 1944, Kwajalein fell on 7 February after stiff Japanese resistance.