List of World War II military operations
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This is a list of known World War II (WW2) era military operations, and missions commonly associated with WW2. As of 2007 this is not a comprehensive list but most major operations which Axis and Allied combatants engaged in are included alongside operations that involved neutral nation states. Operations are categorised according to the theater of operations, and an attempt has been made to cover all aspects of significant events including the Holocaust. Operations contained in the Western Front category have been listed by year. Operations which follow the cessation of hostilities along with those which occurred in the pre-war period are also included. Operations are listed alphabetically, and where multiple aspects are involved these are listed inline.
Flags used are those of the time period.
Contents |
[edit] Africa
Excluding North African campaigns
- Canned (1940)
— naval bombardment of Banda Alula, Italian Somaliland - Ironclad (1942)
— The Battle of Madagascar - Menace (1940)
— seaborne Free French and British attack on Dakar, French West Africa (Senegal) - Supply (1941) — Allied anti-submarine naval patrol off Madagascar
[edit] Atlantic Ocean
Includes North Sea, Arctic Ocean and actions against naval vessels in harbour
- Alacrity (1943) — Allied naval patrols around Azores
- Berlin (1941)
— Atlantic cruise of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau - Catechism (1944) — final RAF air attack on Tirpitz
- Cerberus (1942) — escape of German capital ships from Brest to home ports in Germany (Channel Dash)
- Croquet (1944) — Allied anti-shipping off Norway
- Cupola (1945) — British anti-shipping operation off Norway
- Deadlight (1945) — postwar scuttling of U-boats
- Dervish (1941) — first of the Arctic Convoys to the Soviet Union
- Domino (1943) — second aborted Arctic sortie by Scharnhorst, Prinz Eugen and destroyers
- Doppelschlag ("Double blow") (1942) — German anti-shipping operation off Novaya Zemlya by Admiral Scheer and Admiral Hipper
- EJ (1941) — British anti-shipping operation off Norway
- Foxchase (1945) — British anti-shipping operation off Norway
- Fronttheater (1943) — first aborted Arctic sortie by Scharnhorst, Prinz Eugen and destroyers
- Goodwood I, II, III & IV (1944) — sequence of 4 carrier-borne air attacks on Tirpitz
- Holder (1943) — British special naval transport to Murmansk
- Husar (1943) — cancelled German anti-shipping operation in Kara Sea by Lutzow
- Mascot (1944) — failed carrier-borne air attack on Tirpitz
- Nordseetour ("North Sea Tour") (1940) — first Atlantic operation of Admiral Hipper
- Obviate (1944) — RAF air attack on Tirpitz
- Ostfront (1943) — final operation of Scharnhorst to intercept convoy JW-55B
- Paderborn (1943) — third and successful transfer of Scharnhorst and destroyers to Norway
- Paravane (1944) — RAF air attack on Tirpitz
- Paukenschlag ("Drumbeat", "Beat of the Kettle Drum", "Second happy time") (1942) — German U-boat campaign against shipping off the United States east coast
- Planet, Brawn, Tiger Claw and Mascot (1944) — cancelled carrier-borne air attacks on the Tirpitz
- Posthorn (1944) — British naval air attack on shipping off Norway
- Potluck (1944) — Allied anti-shipping patrol off Norway
- Primrose (1941) — capture of U-110's Enigma cypher machine and documents by HMS Bulldog
- Regenbogen ("Rainbow") (1942) Germany — failed German attack on Arctic convoy JW-51B, by Admiral Hipper and Lutzow
- Rheinübung ("Exercise Rhine") (1941) Germany — planned German attacks on Allied shipping conducted by Bismarck and Prinz Eugen
- Rösselsprung ("Knights Move") (1942) — German naval operation (including Tirpitz) to attack Arctic convoy PQ-17
- Roundel (1945) — British convoy escort to Murmansk
- Source (1943) — British X class submarine (midget submarine) attacks on German warships based in Norway
- Sportpalast (1942) — aborted German naval operation (including Tirpitz) to attack Arctic convoys PQ-12 and QP-8
- Zauberflöte ("Magic Flute") (1942) — return of damaged Prinz Eugen from Trondheim to Germany
- Zauberflöte ("Magic Flute") (1942)
- Stonewall (1943) — Allied operation to intercept blockade runners in the Bay of Biscay
- Tungsten (1944) — carrier-borne air attack on Tirpitz
- Tunnel (1943) — standard British plan to intercept German blockade runners
- Wikinger (1940) — foray by German destroyers into the North Sea
- Wunderland (1942) — German anti-shipping operation in Kara Sea by Admiral Scheer
- Zarin (1942) — German mining action off Novaya Zemlya by German cruiser Admiral Hipper and destroyers
[edit] Eastern Front
See Main Article: List of Military operations on the Eastern Front European Theater during WW2
[edit] Mediterranean Sea
See Main Article: List of Naval and land based operations in Mediterranean Sea Area during WW2
[edit] China and Pacific Ocean
See Main Article: List of Naval and land based operations in Pacific Theater during WW2
[edit] South and South East Asia
Iran, India, Burma, Malaya and Indo-China, and the Indian Ocean
- Balsam (1945) — photographic reconnaissance of southern Malaya and airstrikes against Sumatran airfields
- Boarding Party (1943) — raid against German ships moored in Goa.
- Canned (1944) — search and destroy operation for German supply tanker
- Capital (1943) — Allied capture of northern Burma
- Cockpit (1944)
— Allied naval airstrike on Sabang, Sumatra - Collie (1945) — naval airstrikes against the Nicobar Islands and air cover for minesweeping forces near Phuket Island
- Culverin (1943) — Proposed allied invasion of northern Sumatra
- Countenance (1941)
— Allied invasion of neutral Iran. - Crimson (1944) — Allied naval airstrike and bombardment of Sabang, Sumatra
- Dracula (1945) — British amphibious assault on Rangoon, Burma.
- Bishop (1945) — covering operation for Dracula
- Bishop (1945)
- Diplomat (1944) — Allied exercise in preparation for joint operations against the Japanese
- Dukedom (1945) — British search and destroy operation for Japanese cruiser Haguro
- Foil (1945) — cutting of submarine telephone cables off Hong Kong
- Ha-Go (1944)
— Japanese action to isolate and destroy Anglo-Indian forces in Burma - Jaywick (1943) — Anglo-Australian attack on Japanese shipping in Singapore harbour
- Krohcol (1942) — British move into Thailand to pre-empt expected Japanese action
- Lentil(1945) — naval air attack on refineries on Sumatra
- Livery (1945) — naval air strikes on northern Malaya and air cover for minesweeping operations
- Longcloth (1943) — Chindits advance into Burma
- Matador (1941) — Planned British pre-emptive move into Siam from Malaya
- Matador (1945) — British occupation of Ramree Island
- Meridian (1945) — naval air attacks on installations on Sumatra
- Pamphlet (1943) — convoying of Australian troops from Suez to Australia
- Sabine (1941)
— Allied invasion of neutral Iraq including;
- Regatta — 21 Brigade advance from Basra by boat up the Tigris.
- Regulta — "Euphrates Brigade" (20 Indian Brigade) deployment from Basra to Kut by steamer and barge.
- Sabre (1945} — cutting of submarine communications cable off Saigon
- Sankey (1945) — landings by Royal Marines on Cheduba Island
- Sleuth (1944) — pursuit of German commerce raider in Indian Ocean
- Struggle (1945) — destruction of IJN cruiser Takao in Singapore harbour, using midget submarines
- Talon (1945) — British capture of Akyab island and construction of supply airbase in support of Burma campaign.
- Thursday (1944) — Chindits operation in Burma
- Transom (1944) — Allied naval air raid on Surabaya, Java
- U-Go (1944) — Japanese assault on Imphal and Kohima
- Zipper (1945) Planned British seaborne landing in Malaya.
- Slippery (1945) deception operation for Zipper
- Slippery (1945)
[edit] See Also
List of World War II military operations
[edit] Scandinavia
See Main Article: Military Operations in Scandinavia, and Iceland during WW2
[edit] Western Front
See Main Article: List of Military Operations in the West European Theater during WW2 by Year
[edit] Technology
[edit] Axis
- Caesar (1945) — transfer of technical plans and strategic materials to Japan, using U-864
- Beethoven (1941–1945) — German programme to develop composite aircraft (Mistel)
- Prüfstand XII ("Test stand") (194?) — German programme to develop submarine launched V-2
[edit] Allies
- Alsos ("Grove") (1940–1945) — Allied efforts to gather data on German nuclear fission developments.
- Big (1945) — capture of an atomic pile at Haigerloch.
- Harborage (1945) — US sweep up of German atomic assets ahead of French occupation.
- Epsilon (1945) — Evesdropping on incarcerated German scientists.
- Aphrodite (1944) The use of B-17 bombers as radio-controlled missiles.
- Backfire (1945) — launches of captured V-2 rockets.
- Hawkeye (1944) — Radar research by US Navy.
- Lusty (1945) — US actions to capture German scientific documents, facilities and aircraft.
- Manhattan Project (1941–1945) — program to build an atomic bomb.
- Most III ("Bridge III") (1944) — transfer of captured V-2 components from occupied Poland to Britain. Also known as Wildhorn III.
- Paperclip (1945–) — capture of scientists, technical and German rocketry. Originally Operation Overcast sometimes called Project Paperclip.
- Project BACKFIRE (1945-) — seizure of scientists to aid in assembly and firing of captured V2 rockets.
- Surgeon (1945–) — Simliar to Paperclip; program to exploit German aeronautical scienctific advances.
- Stella Polaris (1944–) transfer of Finnish SIGINT, equipment, and personnel to Sweden following end of Continuation war in 1944.
- TICOM ("Target Intelligence Committee") (1945–) — seizure of intelligence apparatus, in particular cryptographic assets. See also Stella Polaris.
[edit] Special Operations Executive (SOE)
See main article on Special Operations Executive List of Special Operations Executive Operations in WW2
[edit] Partisan Operations
- Anthropoid (1942) —
assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague. - Operacja Taśma ("Belt") (1943-1944)
— - action of the Home Army against German border guarding stations - Burza ("Tempest") (1944) — a series of local uprisings prepared by the Polish Home Army
- Canuck (1945) — SAS operation near Turin to train and organise Italian resistance fighters.
- Carpetbagger (1943) — US airdrops to several national Resistance forces
- Savannah (1941) — Free French attempt to ambush and kill Luftwaffe pathfinder pilots in France
- Wieniec ("Garland") (1942) — - action of the Polish Związek Odwetu against German railway transport
[edit] Anti-Partisan Operations
[edit] Axis
- Braunschweig ("Brunswick") (1944) — Action in Istria
- Delphin ("Dolphin") (1943) — Action on central Dalmatian islands
- Eisbär ("Polar bear") (1943) — Landings on island of Kos to root out partisan base of operations.
- Fall Weiss ("Case white") (1943) — Operations in Yugoslavia
- Feuerzange ("Fire-Tong") (1944) — Action against Dalmatian Islands in the Adriatic
- Kugelblitz ("Lightning Ball") (1943) — anti-partisan action near Vitebsk
- Ozren (1941 & 1942) — two attempts to suppress partisans near Ozren, Bosnia
- Ratweek (1944) — combined air (Balkan Air Force} and ground attack on partisans.
- Risnjak (1942)
— Italian action against partisans in coastal Croatia and Montenegro - Schwarz ("Black") (1943) — Action against partisans in Yugoslavia
- Trio (1942) — action against partisans in region of southern Bosnia.
[edit] Intelligence
[edit] Axis
- Bernhard (194?) — German plan to damage British economy using forged British banknotes.
- Elster ("Magpie") (1944) — landings of German agents on the US east coast with objective of gathering intelligence on Manhattan Project.
- Hummer ("Lobster") series (1940 onwards) — insertion of German agents into Britain. See also Hummer I
- Plan Kathleen (1941) — plan sent by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to Germany seeking support for activities. Dubbed "Artus" by German Foreign Ministry. See IRA Abwehr WW2 for all IRA Abwehr involvement.
- Pastorious (1942) — separate landings of German agents on the US east coast with objective of industrial sabotage.
- Taube ("Dove/Pigeon") (1940) — mission to transport IRA Chief of Staff Seán Russell from Germany back to Ireland.
- Seemöwe ("Seagull") series (1940 onwards) — insertion of German agents into Britain and Ireland. See also Seagull I and Seagull II.
- Wal ("Whale") (1940) — aborted German plan to foster links with Scottish and Welsh nationalist groups.
- Walfisch ("Whale") (1940) — aborted German plan to land an agent in Ireland.
[edit] Allies
- Cornflakes (1945) — insertion of propaganda into the German mail system.
- SIGSALY (1943—1945) — secure speech system for highest-level Allied communications.
- MAGIC (1939 —) — SIGINT resulting from Japanese cipher system PURPLE.
- Ruthless (194?) — Admiralty plan to capture an Enigma encryption machine.
- Venona (1940—) — intelligence sharing resulting from spying on Soviets.
- Ultra — SIGINT resulting from German cipher system Enigma.
[edit] Uncategorized
- July 20 Plot (1943-44) — various assassination plots against Hitler by German Officer class. See also Rocket.
- Catapult (1940) — Royal Navy actions to seize, disable or destroy the French fleet after France's surrender.
- Crossword (1945)
— negotiations leading to German surrender in Italy. Known as Sunrise by US forces. - Eiche ("Oak") (1943) — German rescue from custody of Benito Mussolini
- Frantic (1943) — The use of Soviet airfields by western Allied bombers.
- Feuerzauber ("Fire Magic") (1936) — Transfer of planes, engineers, and pilots to fascist forces during Spanish Civil War. See Also Rügen.
- Gaff (1944) — attempt to kill Erwin Rommel
- Keelhaul (1945) — forced repatriation to the Soviet Union, by the western Allies, of Soviet prisoners of war
- Magic Carpet (1945–1946) — American post-war operation to transport US military personnel home
- Manna (1945) — Allied air drops of food to famine-ravaged Netherlands, with German cooperation
- Panzerfaust ("Bazooka/Armored Fist") (1943) — Kidnap of Hungarian leader Miklós Horthy's son to prevent defection of Hungary from Axis. Codename later changed to "Maus".
- Peking (1939) — removal of Polish warships to Britain, in advance of German invasion
- Pied Piper (1939) — evacuation of children from British cities.
- Rabat (1943) — Plan to kidnap the Pope and diplomatic corp. from Vatican City.
- Regenbogen ("Rainbow") (1945) — rescinded order to scuttle Kriegsmarine.
- Rösselsprung ("Knights Move") (1944) — German attempt to capture Josip Broz Tito
- Rügen (1937) — Bombing of Guernica by German Condor Legion during Spanish Civil War.
- Tabarin (1943) — British Antarctic expedition.
- Worek ("Sack") (1939) — Polish naval defence of the Polish coast
- Rainbow War Plans (1920s-30s) — Global US War planning between the World Wars.
[edit] War Crimes and Genocide
- Operation Himmler (1939) — SS & SD staged attacks throughout Poland as propaganda in claiming a justified invasion.
- Operation Walküre ("Valkyrie") (194?) — Plan to put down insurrection of slave workers within the German Reich in the event of rebellion. Used as a cover for clandestine action by the July 20 plotters.
- Reinhard (1943) — Phase I of the "Final Solution" targeting Jews across Europe.
- Tannenberg (1939) — plan to exterminate Polish intelligentsia involving Einsatzgruppen.
- Generalplan Ost (1942) plan for ethnic cleansing across Europe. See Also Barbarossa.
[edit] See also
[edit] External Links
- Operations lists (contains inaccuracies) hier auch erscheinen.
