"The good news was that Enterprise and the newly arrived Yorktown had attacked the Marshall and Gilbert islands. Those attacks had a great effect on morale"

The quote is describing a substantial event in World War II. The bright side was that the U.S. Navy's Enterprise and Yorktown had actually assaulted the Marshall and Gilbert Islands, which were inhabited by the Japanese. This was a major victory for the Allies, as it was a tactical move that damaged the Japanese forces in the Pacific. The attacks also had a great effect on spirits, as they showed that the Allies were capable of taking the fight to the Japanese and winning. This was a significant boost to the morale of the Allied forces, and it helped to provide the confidence they needed to continue the battle against the Japanese. The attacks likewise showed the Japanese that the Allies were identified to win the war, which they were not to be taken lightly.