List of World War II military operations

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This is a list of known World War II era codenames for military operations and missions commonly associated with World War II. As of 2022[update] this is not a comprehensive list, but most major operations that Axis and Allied combatants engaged in are included, and also 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. Operations contained in the Western Front category have been listed by year. Operations that follow the cessation of hostilities and those that 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.

Africa

Excludes North African campaigns

Atlantic Ocean

Includes North Sea and Arctic Ocean operations and actions against naval vessels in harbour

  • Alacrity (1943) United Kingdom – Allied naval patrols around Azores
  • Berlin (1941) Nazi Germany – Atlantic cruise of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau
  • Catechism (1944) United Kingdom – final RAF air attack on Tirpitz
  • Cerberus (1942) Nazi Germany – escape of German capital ships from Brest to home ports in Germany (Channel Dash)
  • Croquet (1944) United Kingdom – Allied anti-shipping off Norway
  • Cupola (1945) United Kingdom – British anti-shipping operation off Norway
  • Deadlight (1945) United Kingdom – postwar scuttling of U-boats
  • Dervish (1941) United Kingdom – first of the Arctic Convoys to the Soviet Union
  • Domino (1943) Nazi Germany – second aborted Arctic sortie by Scharnhorst, Prinz Eugen and destroyers
  • Doppelschlag ("Double blow") (1942) Nazi Germany – German anti-shipping operation off Novaya Zemlya by Admiral Scheer and Admiral Hipper
  • Drachenhöhle (1944) Nazi Germany – aborted attack on Home Fleet at Scapa Flow, using Mistel composite aircraft
  • Drumbeat (1942) Nazi Germany – part of "Second Happy Time" (Paukenschlag)
  • EJ (1941) United Kingdom – British anti-shipping operation off Norway
  • Enclose (1943) United Kingdom – British anti-submarine air offensive in Bay of Biscay (also Enclose II)
  • Foxchase (1945) United Kingdom – British anti-shipping operation off Norway
  • Fronttheater (1943) Nazi Germany – first aborted Arctic sortie by Scharnhorst, Prinz Eugen and destroyers
  • Goodwood I, II, III and IV (1944) United Kingdom – sequence of 4 carrier-borne air attacks on Tirpitz
  • Holder (1943) United Kingdom – British special naval transport to Murmansk
  • Husar (1943) Nazi Germany – cancelled German anti-shipping operation in Kara Sea by Lutzow
  • Leader (1943) United States United Kingdom – antishipping operation off Norway by USS Ranger
  • Lucid (1940) United Kingdom – attempt to destroy German invasion barges
  • Mascot (1944) United Kingdom – failed carrier-borne air attack on Tirpitz
  • Nordseetour ("North Sea Tour") (1940) Nazi Germany – first Atlantic operation of Admiral Hipper
  • Obviate (1944) United Kingdom – RAF air attack on Tirpitz
  • Ostfront (1943) Nazi Germany – final operation of Scharnhorst to intercept convoy JW 55B
  • Paderborn (1943) Nazi Germany – third and successful transfer of Scharnhorst and destroyers to Norway
  • Paravane (1944) United Kingdom – RAF air attack on Tirpitz
  • Paukenschlag Nazi Germany ("Drumbeat", "Beat of the Kettle Drum", "Second happy time") (1942) – German U-boat campaign against shipping off the United States east coast
  • Planet, Brawn and Tiger Claw (1944) United Kingdom – cancelled carrier-borne air attacks on the Tirpitz
  • Posthorn (1944) United Kingdom – British naval air attack on shipping off Norway
  • Potluck (1944) United Kingdom – Allied anti-shipping patrol off Norway
  • Primrose (1941) United Kingdom – capture of U-110's Enigma cypher machine and documents by HMS Bulldog
  • Regenbogen ("Rainbow") (1942) Nazi Germany Germany – failed German attack on Arctic convoy JW 51B, by Admiral Hipper and Lutzow
  • Rheinübung ("Exercise Rhine") (1941) Nazi Germany Germany – planned German attacks on Allied shipping conducted by Bismarck and Prinz Eugen
  • Rösselsprung ("Knights Move") (1942) Nazi Germany – German naval operation (including Tirpitz) to attack Arctic convoy PQ 17
  • Roundel (1945) United Kingdom – British convoy escort to Murmansk
  • Source (1943) United Kingdom – British X class submarine (midget submarine) attacks on German warships based in Norway
  • Sportpalast (1942) Nazi Germany – aborted German naval operation (including Tirpitz) to attack Arctic convoys PQ-12 and QP-8
  • Stonewall (1943) United Kingdom New Zealand United States France Czechoslovakia Canada – Allied operation to intercept blockade runners in the Bay of Biscay
  • Teardrop (1945) United States – anti U-boat operation
  • Tungsten (1944) United Kingdom – carrier-borne air attack on Tirpitz
  • Tunnel (1943) United Kingdom – standard British plan to intercept German blockade runners
  • Wikinger (1940) Nazi Germany – foray by German destroyers into the North Sea
  • Wunderland (1942) Nazi Germany – German anti-shipping operation in Kara Sea by Admiral Scheer
  • Zarin (1942) Nazi Germany – German mining action off Novaya Zemlya by Admiral Hipper and destroyers

Eastern Front

Mediterranean Sea

South West Pacific and Pacific Ocean

China

South West, South, and South East Asia

Includes operations in Iraq, Syria, Iran, India, Burma, Malaya and Indo-China, and the Indian Ocean

Scandinavia and Finland

Axis

  • Birke ("Birch") (1944) Nazi Germany – German plan to withdraw from northern Finland prior to the Lapland War.
  • Birkhahn (1945) Nazi Germany – German evacuation from Norway.[1]
  • Büffel ("Buffalo") (1940) Nazi Germany – German operation to relieve troops in Narvik, Norway.
  • Hokki ("Calk") (1944) Finland – Finnish plan to destroy railroad tracks to deny the Soviets their supplies.
  • Holzauge ("Wood knot") (1942) Nazi Germany – activities in Greenland.
  • Ikarus (1940) Nazi Germany – planned German invasion of Iceland in response to British Operation Fork.
  • Juno (1940) Nazi Germany – German naval operation to disturb allied supplies to Norway.
  • Kilpapurjehdus ("Regatta") (1941) Finland – Finnish naval operation for the militarization of the Åland islands.
  • Lachsfang (1942) Nazi Germany Finland – Proposed combined German and Finnish attack against Kandalaksha and Belomorsk.
  • Nordlicht ("Aurora Borealis") (1944) Nazi Germany – German withdrawal from the Kola Peninsula into Norway.
  • Silberfuchs ("Silver Fox") (1941) Nazi Germany Finland – German and Finnish operations in the Arctic, including:
    • Blaufuchs 1 ("Blue Fox 1") (1941) Nazi Germany – Staging of German forces from Germany to northern Finland.
    • Blaufuchs 2 ("Blue Fox 2") (1941) Nazi Germany – Staging of German forces from Norway to northern Finland.
    • Platinfuchs ("Platinum Fox") (1941) Nazi Germany Finland – Joint German-Finnish attack towards Murmansk from Finnish Petsamo.
    • Polarfuchs ("Polar Fox") (1941) Nazi Germany Finland – Joint German-Finnish attack towards Kandalaksha from Finnish Lapland.
    • Rentier ("Reindeer") (1941) Nazi Germany – German occupation of Petsamo.
  • Sizilien (1943) Nazi Germany – German raid upon allied occupied Spitsbergen (Svalbard).
  • Tanne Ost (1944) Nazi Germany – failed German attempt to capture Suursaari from Finland.
  • Tanne West (1944) Nazi Germany – planned German attempt to capture Åland from Finland.
  • Weserübung ("Weser Exercise") (1940) Nazi Germany – German invasion of Denmark and Norway.
  • Zitronella ("Lemon flavour") (1943) Nazi Germany – German raid against a Norwegian/British station on Svalbard.

Allies

Other

  • Rädda Danmark ("Save Denmark") (1945) Sweden – Swedish plan to liberate Denmark before the country was occupied by the Soviet Union (cancelled because of German surrender)
    • Rädda Själland (1945) Sweden – Swedish landings on Zealand
    • Rädda Bornholm (1945) Sweden – Swedish landings on Bornholm

Western Front

Technology

Axis

  • Caesar (1945) Nazi Germany – transfer of technical plans and strategic materials to Japan, using U-864.
  • Beethoven (1941–1945) Nazi Germany – German programme to develop composite aircraft (Mistel)
  • Prüfstand XII ("Test stand") (1945) Nazi Germany – German programme to develop submarine-launched V-2

Allies

  • Alsos ("Grove") (1940–1945) United States United Kingdom – Allied efforts to gather data on German nuclear fission developments.
    • Big (1945) – capture of an atomic pile at Haigerloch.
    • Harborage (1945) United States – US sweep up of German atomic assets ahead of French occupation.
    • Epsilon (1945) United Kingdom – Eavesdropping on incarcerated German scientists.
  • Aphrodite (1944) United States The use of B-17 bombers as radio-controlled missiles.
  • Backfire (1945) United Kingdom – launches of captured V-2 rockets.
  • Hawkeye (1944) United StatesRadar research by US Navy.
  • Lusty (1945) United StatesUnited Kingdom – US actions to capture German scientific documents, facilities and aircraft.
  • Manhattan Project (1941–1945) United States – program to build an atomic bomb.
  • Most III ("Bridge III") (1944) Poland United Kingdom – transfer of captured V-2 components from occupied Poland to Britain. Also known as Wildhorn III.
  • Paperclip (1945–) United States – capture of scientists, technical and German rocketry. Originally Operation Overcast sometimes called Project Paperclip.
  • Surgeon (1945–) United Kingdom – Similar to Paperclip; program to exploit German aeronautical scientific advances.
  • Stella Polaris (1944–) Finland Sweden transfer of Finnish SIGINT, equipment, and personnel to Sweden following end of the Continuation war in 1944.
  • TICOM ("Target Intelligence Committee") (1945–) United States – seizure of intelligence apparatus, in particular cryptographic assets. See also Stella Polaris.

Special Operations Executive

  • Operation Jedburgh (1944) United KingdomUnited StatesFree FranceBelgiumDutch government-in-exile – SOE, OSS, and Free French-Belgian-Dutch exiles parachuted into France, the Netherlands and Belgium to perform guerrilla warfare.

Partisan operations

Includes some operations by regular forces in support of partisans

Anti-partisan operations

Intelligence

Axis

  • Bernhard (1944) Nazi Germany— German plan to damage British economy using forged British banknotes.
  • Elster ("Magpie") (1944) Nazi Germany – landings of German agents on the US east coast with objective of gathering intelligence on Manhattan Project
  • Haudegen ("Broadsword") (1944) Nazi Germany – German intelligence collection in Spitzbergen, Norway
  • Hummer ("Lobster") series (1940 onwards) Nazi Germany – insertion of German agents into Britain. See also Hummer I
  • Kadella (1945) Nazi Germany – airdrop of agents near Marseilles
  • Plan Kathleen (1941) Nazi Germany – plan sent by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to Germany seeking support for activities. Dubbed "Artus" by German Foreign Ministry. See IRA Abwehr World War II for all IRA Abwehr involvement.
  • Karneval (1945) Nazi Germany – airdrop of agents near Brussels and Waal
  • Mosul (1944) Nazi Germany – air drop of agents and supplies near Mosul
  • Pastorius (1942) Nazi Germany – separate landings of German agents on the US east coast with objective of industrial sabotage.
  • Perlen-fischer (1945) Nazi Germany – airdrop of agents near Paris
  • Salaam (1942) Nazi Germany – insertion of German agents into the British-occupied Kingdom of Egypt
  • Seemöwe ("Seagull") series (1940 onwards) Nazi Germany – insertion of German agents into Britain and Ireland. See also Seagull I and Seagull II.
  • Taube ("Dove/Pigeon") (1940) Nazi Germany – mission to transport IRA Chief of Staff Seán Russell from Germany back to Ireland.
  • Wal ("Whale") (1940) Nazi Germany – aborted German plan to foster links with Scottish and Welsh nationalist groups.
  • Walfisch ("Whale") (1940) Nazi Germany – aborted German plan to land an agent in Ireland.

Allies

  • Cornflakes (1945) United States – insertion of propaganda into the German mail system.
  • SIGSALY (1943—1945) United States – secure speech system for highest-level Allied communications.
  • MAGIC (1939 —) United States – SIGINT resulting from Japanese cipher system PURPLE.
  • Ruthless (1940) United KingdomAdmiralty plan of Ian Fleming to capture an Enigma encryption machine.
  • Venona (1940—) United Kingdom United States – intelligence sharing resulting from spying on Soviets.
  • Ultra United KingdomSIGINT resulting from German cipher system Enigma.
  • Cardinal (1945) United StatesOSS team parachuted into Japanese Manchukuo to rescue Allied POWs including General Wainwright[2][3][4]

Uncategorized

  • Alpenfestung Nazi Germany – plan for Nazi national Redoubt in Alps.
    • Werwolf (1945–50) Nazi Germany – guerrilla force to resist occupation by Allies.
  • Big Bang (1947) United Kingdom – demolition of defences of Heligoland
  • Bracelet (1942) United Kingdom – Churchill's flight to Cairo and Moscow.
  • Catapult (1940) United Kingdom – Royal Navy actions to seize, disable or destroy the French fleet after France's surrender.
  • Downfall (1945) United States – Proposed Allied plan for the invasion of Japan.
  • Operation Sunrise (1945) Nazi Germany United Kingdom Switzerland United States – negotiations leading to German surrender in Italy.
  • Eiche ("Oak") (1943) Nazi Germany – German rescue from custody of Benito Mussolini
  • Frantic (1943) – The use of Soviet airfields by western Allied bombers.
  • Feuerzauber ("Fire Magic") (1936–39) – Transfer of planes, engineers, and pilots to nationalist forces during Spanish Civil War.
    • Rügen (1937) Nazi Germany – Bombing of Guernica.
    • Bodden (1937–43) Nazi GermanyAbwehr intelligence gathering system operating from Spain and Morocco.
    • Ursula (1936–1939) Nazi GermanyKriegsmarine U-boat operations in support of Francoist and Italian navies.
  • Gaff (1944) – attempt to kill Erwin Rommel
  • Halyard (1944) – Non-combat Allied airlift behind Axis lines in Yugoslavia
  • Jericho (1944) – Allied aircraft bombed Amiens prison in German-occupied France to aid Resistance prison escape
  • Keelhaul (1945) United States United Kingdom – forced repatriation to the Soviet Union, by the western Allies, of Soviet prisoners of war
  • Magic Carpet (1945–1946) United States – American post-war operation to transport US military personnel home
  • Manna (1945) – Allied air drops of food to famine-ravaged Netherlands, with German cooperation
  • Margarethe (1944) Nazi Germany – German occupation of Hungary. Döme Sztójay, an avid supporter of the Nazis, became the new Hungarian Prime Minister with the aid of a Nazi military governor.
  • Panzerfaust/Eisenfaust ("Armored Fist") (1944) Nazi Germany – Kidnap of Hungarian leader Miklós Horthy's son to prevent defection of Hungary from Axis.
  • Peking (1939) Poland – removal of Polish warships to Britain, in advance of German invasion
  • Pied Piper (1939) United Kingdom – evacuation of children from British cities.
  • Rabat (1943) Nazi Germany – Plan to kidnap the Pope and diplomatic corp. from Vatican City.
  • Regenbogen ("Rainbow") (1945) Nazi Germany – rescinded order to scuttle Kriegsmarine.
  • Rösselsprung ("Knights Move") (1944) Nazi Germany – German attempt to capture Josip Broz Tito
  • Safehaven (1944) – allied efforts to capture fleeing Nazis and seize German resources abroad
  • Symbol (1943) United Kingdom – Churchill's flight to Casablanca.
  • Tabarin (1943) United Kingdom – British Antarctic expedition.
  • Operation Walküre ("Valkyrie") (1944) Nazi Germany – Plan to deal with general breakdown of civil order within Germany following the death of Hitler and the seizure of power by other Nazi officials or the SS; a cover for clandestine action by the German resistance.
  • Worek ("Sack") (1939) PolandPolish naval defence of the Polish coast
  • Rainbow War Plans (1920s–30s) United States – Global US War planning between the World Wars.

Propaganda, war crimes, and genocide

References

  1. ^ pp. 138–139, Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand [1]
  2. ^ Clemens, Peter (1998-12-01). "Operation 'cardinal': The OSS in Manchuria, August 1945". Intelligence and National Security. 13 (4): 71–106. doi:10.1080/02684529808432505. ISSN 0268-4527.
  3. ^ Streifer, Bill (2011). "Operation Cardinal: "…So You Must Be a Spy"". American Intelligence Journal. 29 (2): 75–79. ISSN 0883-072X. JSTOR 26201953.
  4. ^ Streifer, Bill. "Operation Cardinal: OSS in Manchuria". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links

  • WW2DB: List of Axis Operations
  • WW2DB: List of Allied Operations
  • Operations lists (contains inaccuracies) hier auch erscheinen.
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