List of World War II military operations

This is a list of known World War II era military operations, and missions commonly associated with World War II. As of 2008 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.

Africa

Excluding North African campaigns
* "Appearance" (1941) flagicon|United Kingdom
* "Canned" (1940) flagicon|United Kingdom — British naval bombardment of Banda Alula, Italian Somaliland
* "Chronometer" (1941) flagicon|United Kingdom
* "Ironclad" (1942) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|South Africa|1928 — The Battle of Madagascar
* "Menace" (1940) flagicon|United Kingdom )
* "Supply" (1941) flagicon|United Kingdom — Allied anti-submarine naval patrol off Madagascar

Atlantic Ocean

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

Eastern Front

Mediterranean Sea

outh West Pacific and Pacific Ocean

China

* "Sankō" (1942-1944) flagicon|Japan — Japanese campaign in five provinces of northeastern China to crush the Chinese resistance following the Hundred Regiments Offensive
* "Alpha" (1944) flagicon|Republic of China flagicon|United States|1912 — improvement of the defences of Kunming against Japanese threats
* "Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation" (1945) flagicon|Soviet Union — Soviet invasion of Manchuria and other Japanese occupied territories
* "Ichigo" (1944) flagicon|Japan — Japanese campaign in eastern China to secure overland routes to Indo-China and airfields
* "Matterhorn" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 — establishment of bases for US B-29 bomber aircraft

outh and South East Asia

Iran, India, Burma, Malaya and Indo-China, and the Indian Ocean

* "Anakim" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|US flagicon|Republic of China — proposed strategy to retake Burma and reopen the land route to China
* "Bajadere" (1942) flagicon|Germany|Nazi personnel
* "Balsam" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — photographic reconnaissance of southern Malaya and airstrikes against Sumatran airfields
* "Boarding Party" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — raid against German ships interned in neutral port of Goa.
* "Canned" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — search and destroy operation for German supply tanker
* "Capital" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — Allied capture of northern Burma
* "Cockpit" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|France|free flagicon|Australia flagicon|Netherlands flagicon|New Zealand — Allied naval airstrike on Sabang, Sumatra
* "Collie" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — naval airstrikes against the Nicobar Islands and air cover for minesweeping forces near Phuket Island
* "Culverin" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — Proposed allied invasion of northern Sumatra
* "Countenance" (1941) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Soviet Union — Allied invasion of neutral Iran.
* "Crimson" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|France|free flagicon|Australia flagicon|Netherlands flagicon|New Zealand — Allied naval airstrike and bombardment of Sabang, Sumatra
* "Dracula" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — British amphibious assault on Rangoon, Burma.
** "Bishop" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — covering operation for "Dracula"
* "Diplomat" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|Australia flagicon|Netherlands flagicon|New Zealand — Allied exercise in preparation for joint operations against the Japanese
* "Dukedom" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — British search and destroy operation for Japanese cruiser "Haguro"
* "Foil" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — cutting of submarine telephone cables off Hong Kong
* "Franz" (1942) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — proposal to establish sabotage teams in Iran
* "Ha-Go" (1944) flagicon|Japan — Japanese action to isolate and destroy Anglo-Indian forces in Burma
* "Jaywick" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Australia — Anglo-Australian attack on Japanese shipping in Singapore harbour
* "Krohcol" (1942) flagicon|United Kingdom — British move into Thailand to pre-empt expected Japanese action
* "Lentil"(1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — naval air attack on refineries on Sumatra
* "Livery" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — naval air strikes on northern Malaya and air cover for minesweeping operations
* "Longcloth" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — Chindits advance into Burma
* "Matador" (1941) flagicon|United Kingdom — Planned British pre-emptive move into Siam from Malaya
* "Matador" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — British occupation of Ramree Island
* "Meridian" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — naval air attacks on installations on Sumatra
* "Mosul" (1944) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — air drop of agents and supplies near Mosul
* "Pamphlet" (1943) flagicon|Australia — convoying of Australian troops from Suez to Australia
* "Sabine" (1941) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|India|British — 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} flagicon|United Kingdom — cutting of submarine communications cable off Saigon
* "Sankey" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — landings by Royal Marines on Cheduba Island
* "Sheikh Mahmut" (1943) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — failed attempt to establish bases in Iraq
* "Sleuth" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|New Zealand — pursuit of German commerce raider in Indian Ocean
* "Struggle" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — destruction of IJN cruiser "Takao" in Singapore harbour, using midget submarines
* "Talon" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — British capture of Akyab island and construction of supply airbase in support of Burma campaign.
* "Thursday" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — Chindits operation in Burma
* "Transom" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|France|free flagicon|Australia flagicon|Netherlands flagicon|New Zealand — Allied naval air raid on Surabaya, Java
* "U-Go" (1944) flagicon|Japan
* "Zipper" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom Planned British seaborne landing in Malaya.
** "Slippery" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom deception operation for "Zipper"

candinavia

Western Front

Technology

Axis

* "Caesar" (1945) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — transfer of technical plans and strategic materials to Japan, using U-864
* "Beethoven" (1941–1945) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — German programme to develop composite aircraft (Mistel)
* "Prüfstand XII" ("Test stand") (194?) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — German programme to develop submarine launched V-2

Allies

* "Alsos" ("Grove") (1940–1945) flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|United Kingdom — Allied efforts to gather data on German nuclear fission developments.
** "Big" (1945) — capture of an atomic pile at Haigerloch.
** "Harborage" (1945) flagicon|United States|1912 — US sweep up of German atomic assets ahead of French occupation.
** "Epsilon" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — Evesdropping on incarcerated German scientists.
* "Aphrodite" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 The use of B-17 bombers as radio-controlled missiles.
* "Backfire" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — launches of captured V-2 rockets.
* "Hawkeye" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 — Radar research by US Navy.
* "Lusty" (1945) flagicon|United States|1912 — US actions to capture German scientific documents, facilities and aircraft.
* "Manhattan Project" (1941–1945) flagicon|United States|1912 — program to build an atomic bomb.
* "Most III" ("Bridge III") (1944) flagicon|Poland flagicon|United Kingdom — transfer of captured V-2 components from occupied Poland to Britain. Also known as Wildhorn III.
* "Paperclip" (1945–) flagicon|United States|1912 — capture of scientists, technical and German rocketry. Originally "Operation Overcast" sometimes called "Project Paperclip".
* "Surgeon" (1945–) flagicon|United Kingdom — Similar to "Paperclip"; program to exploit German aeronautical scienctific advances.
* "Stella Polaris" (1944–) flagicon|United States|1912 transfer of Finnish SIGINT, equipment, and personnel to Sweden following end of Continuation war in 1944.
* "TICOM" ("Target Intelligence Committee") (1945–) flagicon|United States|1912 — seizure of intelligence apparatus, in particular cryptographic assets. See also "Stella Polaris".

pecial Operations Executive

Partisan operations

Includes some operations by regular forces in support of partisans.
* "Anthropoid" (1942) flagicon|Czechoslovakia flagicon|United Kingdom — assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague.
* "Burza" ("Tempest") (1944)flagicon|Poland — a series of local uprisings by the Polish Home Army
** "Ostra Brama" (1944)flagicon|Poland — battle for Vilnius
* "Canuck" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — SAS operation near Turin to train and organise Italian resistance fighters.
* "Carpetbagger" (1943) flagicon|United States|1912 — US airdrops to several national Resistance forces
* "Montagnards" (1944) flagicon|France|free — FFI action to establish base in Vercors Massif
** "Cadillac" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 — airborne supply operation to FFI in Vercors Massif
** "Eucalyptus" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 — airdrop into Vercors Massif of liaison teams
** "Zebra" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 — airborne supply operation to FFI in Vercors Massif
* "Savannah" (1941) flagicon|France|free — Free French attempt to ambush and kill Luftwaffe pathfinder pilots in France
* "Taśma" ("Belt") (1943-1944) flagicon|Poland — action of the Home Army against German border guarding stations
* "Wieniec" ("Garland") (1942)flagicon|Poland — action of the Polish Związek Odwetu against German railway transport

Anti-partisan operations

Axis

* "Braunschweig" ("Brunswick") (1944) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Action in Istria
* "Delphin" ("Dolphin") (1943) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Action on central Dalmatian islands
* "Eisbär" ("Polar bear") (1943) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Landings on island of Kos to root out partisan base of operations.
* "Fall Weiss" ("Case white") (1943) flagicon|Germany|Nazi flagicon|Italy|1861-state flagicon|Croatia|1941 — Operations in Yugoslavia
* "Feuerzange" ("Fire-Tong") (1944) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Action against Dalmatian Islands in the Adriatic
* "Fruhling" (1944) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — action to suppress FFI activity in Vercors Massif, France
* "Kugelblitz" ("Lightning Ball") (1943) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — anti-partisan action near Vitebsk
* "Ozren" (1941 & 1942) flagicon|Germany|Nazi flagicon|Croatia|1941 — two attempts to suppress partisans near Ozren, Bosnia
* "Ratweek" (1944) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — combined air (Balkan Air Force} and ground attack on partisans.
* "Risnjak" (1942) flagicon|Italy|1861-state — Italian action against partisans in coastal Croatia and Montenegro
* "Schwarz" ("Black") (1943) flagicon|Germany|Nazi flagicon|Italy|1861-state flagicon|Croatia|1941 flagicon|Bulgaria|1878 — Action against partisans in Yugoslavia
* "Trio" (1942) flagicon|Germany|Nazi flagicon|Italy|1861-state flagicon|Croatia|1941 — action against partisans in region of southern Bosnia.
* "Vercors" (1944) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — main German action to retake Vercors Massif, France

Intelligence

Axis

* "Bernhard" (194?) flagicon|Germany|Nazi— German plan to damage British economy using forged British banknotes.
* "Elster" ("Magpie") (1944) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — landings of German agents on the US east coast with objective of gathering intelligence on "Manhattan Project"
* "Haudegen" ("Broadsword") (1944) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — German intelligence collection in Spitsbergen Norway
* "Hummer" ("Lobster") series (1940 onwards) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — insertion of German agents into Britain. See also "Hummer I"
* "Kadella" (1945) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — airdrop of agents near Marseilles
* "Plan Kathleen" (1941) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — 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) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — airdrop of agents near Brussels and Waals
* "Pastorious" (1942) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — separate landings of German agents on the US east coast with objective of industrial sabotage.
* "Perlen-fischer" (1945) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — airdrop of agents near Paris
* "Taube" ("Dove/Pigeon") (1940) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — mission to transport IRA Chief of Staff Seán Russell from Germany back to Ireland.
* "Seemöwe" ("Seagull") series (1940 onwards) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — insertion of German agents into Britain and Ireland. See also "Seagull I" and "Seagull II".
* "Wal" ("Whale") (1940) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — aborted German plan to foster links with Scottish and Welsh nationalist groups.
* "Walfisch" ("Whale") (1940) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — aborted German plan to land an agent in Ireland.

Allies

*"Cornflakes" (1945) flagicon|United States|1912 — insertion of propaganda into the German mail system.
* "SIGSALY" (1943—1945) flagicon|United States|1912 — secure speech system for highest-level Allied communications.
* "MAGIC" (1939 —) flagicon|United States|1912 — SIGINT resulting from Japanese cipher system PURPLE.
* "Ruthless" (194?) flagicon|United Kingdom — Admiralty plan to capture an Enigma encryption machine.
* "Venona" (1940—) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|United States|1912 — intelligence sharing resulting from spying on Soviets.
* "Ultra" flagicon|United Kingdom — SIGINT resulting from German cipher system Enigma.

Uncategorized

* "Alpenfestung" flagicon|Germany|Nazi — plan for nazi national Redoubt in Alps.
** "Werwolf" (1945-50) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — guerrilla force to resist occupation by Allies.
* "Big Bang" (1947) flagicon|UK — demolition of defences of Heligoland
* "Catapult" (1940) flagicon|United Kingdom — Royal Navy actions to seize, disable or destroy the French fleet after France's surrender.
* "Crossword" (1945) flagicon|Germany|Nazi flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Switzerland flagicon|United States|1912 — negotiations leading to German surrender in Italy. Known as "Sunrise" by US forces.
* "Eiche" ("Oak") (1943) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — 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 fascist forces during Spanish Civil War.
** "Rügen" (1937) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Bombing of Guernica.
** "Bodden" (1937-43) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Abwehr intelligence gathering system operating from Spain and Morocco.
** "Ursula" (1936-1939) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Kriegsmarine Uboat operations in support of Francoist and Italian navies.
* "Gaff" (1944) — attempt to kill Erwin Rommel
* "Keelhaul" (1945) flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|United Kingdom — forced repatriation to the Soviet Union, by the western Allies, of Soviet prisoners of war
* "Magic Carpet" (1945–1946) flagicon|United States|1912 — 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) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — German occupation of Hungary. Döme Sztójay, an avid supporter of the Nazis, become the new Hungarian Prime Minister with the aid of a Nazi military governor.
* "Panzerfaust/Eisenfaust" ("Bazooka/Armored Fist") (1943) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Kidnap of Hungarian leader Miklós Horthy's son to prevent defection of Hungary from Axis.
* "Peking" (1939) flagicon|Poland — removal of Polish warships to Britain, in advance of German invasion
* "" (1939) flagicon|United Kingdom — evacuation of children from British cities.
* "Rabat" (1943) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Plan to kidnap the Pope and diplomatic corp. from Vatican City.
* "Regenbogen" ("Rainbow") (1945) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — rescinded order to scuttle Kriegsmarine.
* "Rösselsprung" ("Knights Move") (1944) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — German attempt to capture Josip Broz Tito
* "Tabarin" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — British Antarctic expedition.
* "Worek" ("Sack") (1939) flagicon|Poland — Polish naval defence of the Polish coast
* "Rainbow War Plans" (1920s-30s) flagicon|United States|1912 — Global US War planning between the World Wars.

War crimes and genocide

* "Operation Himmler" (1939) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — SS & SD staged attacks throughout Poland as propaganda in claiming a justified invasion.
* "Operation Walküre" ("Valkyrie") (194?) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — 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) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — Phase I of the "Final Solution" targeting Jews across Europe.
* "Tannenberg" (1939) flagicon|Germany|Nazi — plan to exterminate Polish intelligentsia involving Einsatzgruppen.
* "Sonderaktion Krakau" (1939) flagicon|Germany|Nazi Operation to murder members of the intelligentia at univerisites in Krakow.
* "Generalplan Ost" (1942) flagicon|Germany|Nazi plan for ethnic cleansing across Europe. See Also "Barbarossa".

External links

* [http://ww2db.com/ref.php?q=O&c=x WW2DB: List of Axis Operations]
* [http://ww2db.com/ref.php?q=O&c=a WW2DB: List of Allied Operations]
* [http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/codes/ Operations lists] (contains inaccuracies) [http://www.waffenhq.de/specials/ops-ww2_axis.html hier auch erscheinen] .