Which two islands were crucial for the U.S. to launch regular bombings on Japan?

The correct answer highlights the importance of Iwo Jima and Okinawa in the context of the Pacific Theater during World War II, particularly as staging grounds for launching bombing raids against Japan. After fierce battles, Iwo Jima, captured in early 1945, provided the U.S. military with a base closer to Japan, enabling fighters and bombers to operate with greater efficiency. The capture of Okinawa later in 1945 further solidified this strategy, as it served as a critical base for air support in the bombing campaign leading up to the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland.

In contrast, while Guadalcanal and Midway were pivotal battles early in the war that contributed to shifting momentum in favor of the Allies, they did not serve the specific role of providing bases for regular bombing operations against Japan later in the conflict. Hokkaido and Honshu are Japanese islands and did not serve as U.S. bases, while Tinian and Saipan, although also significant as bases for air operations, are not the specific locations referred to in the context of regular bombing campaigns leading up to the end of the war.