8. In order to stockpile supplies and build up troops for an Invasion of Japan, American military planners chose to first invade where? \( \begin{array}{ll}\text { A. Hiroshima } & \text { C. Nagasaki } \\ \text { B. Iwo Jima } & \text { D. Okinawa }\end{array} \)

The American military planners decided to first invade Iwo Jima as part of their strategy to establish a base for launching air strikes on Japan. The island was strategically important due to its location and its two airstrips, which would facilitate operations closer to the Japanese mainland. The invasion began on February 19, 1945, and led to intense fighting. Following Iwo Jima, the next major campaign was the invasion of Okinawa, which took place in April 1945. This invasion was part of a broader strategy to secure a direct path to Japan for an eventual invasion. Okinawa served as a crucial staging area and highlighted the fierce resistance that American forces would face in the Pacific theater.