List of military operations in the West European Theater during World War II by year

=Western Front=

Includes land and sea operations relating to north-west Europe, but excludes:
* purely naval operations in the adjoining waters (see: List of World War II military operations - Atlantic Ocean)
* operations in Scandinavia (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden), Iceland and Greenland (see: Military operations in Scandinavia and Iceland during World War II)
* operations in the Mediterranean and Italy (see: World War II operations in the Mediterranean region).

1935 — 1938

* "Fall Rot" ("Case Red") (1935) flagicon|Nazi Germany — overview of defense planning in tandem with "Fall Blau". Rot covered defense in the west in the event of military action in the east (Fall Blau).
* "Fall Blau" ("Case Blue") (1935) flagicon|Nazi Germany — overview of defense planning in tandem with "Fall Rot".
* "Fall Otto" ("Case Otto") (1937) flagicon|Nazi Germany — plan to occupy Austria.
* "Fall Richard" ("Case Richard") (1937) flagicon|Nazi Germany — Contingency planning for Soviet/communist takeover in Spain.
* "Fall Grün" ("Case Green") (1938) flagicon|Nazi Germany — plan for invasion of Czechoslovakia.

"1939"

* "Fall Weiss" ("Case White") (1939) flagicon|Nazi Germany— invasion of Poland

"1940"

* "Ariel" (1940) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 — Allied retreat from France using ports between Cherbourg and the Spanish frontier.
* "Ambassador" (1940) flagicon|United Kingdom — commando raid on Guernsey
* "Attila" (1940) flagicon|Nazi Germany — German seizure and occupation of Vichy France, without Italian support. See also "Fall Anton" ("Case Anton") and "Lila".
* "Cycle" (1940) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 flagicon|France flagicon|Poland — British and Allied evacuation from Le Havre
* "Dynamo" (1940) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 flagicon|France — British & Allied evacuation from Dunkirk.
* "Fall Gelb" ("Case Yellow") (1939-40) flagicon|Nazi Germany — offensive against the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
* "Grunpfeil" (1940) flagicon|Nazi Germany — invasion of British held Channel Islands.
* "Granit" (Granite) (1940) flagicon|Nazi Germany — Fallschirmjäger capture of Fort Eben-Emael
* "Marine" (1940) flagicon|United Kingdom — Dropping of naval mines into the Rhine
* "Mondscheinsonate" ("Moonlight Sonata") (1940) flagicon|Nazi Germany — Luftwaffe raid on Coventry
* "Fall Rot" ("Case Red") (1939-40) flagicon|Nazi Germany — invasion of France and rout of British Expeditionary Force
* "Seelöwe" ("Sealion") (1940) flagicon|Nazi Germany — planned invasion of Britain
** "Adlerangriff" ("Eagle Attack") flagicon|Nazi Germany flagicon|Italy|1861 — Axis effort to destroy the RAF prior to invasion. Preceded by attacks on shipping known as "Kanalkampf" (Channel Battle). Aerial battles during the period were later dubbed the Battle of Britain.
** "Fall Grün" ("Case Green") (1940) flagicon|Nazi Germany — planned invasion of Ireland as part of "Seelöwe"
** "Herbstreise" ("Autumn Journey") flagicon|Nazi Germany — planned/diversionary invasion of Scotland as part of "Seelöwe".
* "Tannenbaum" ("Christmas Tree") (1940) flagicon|Nazi Germany — planned invasion of Switzerland.
* "XD" (1940) flagicon|United Kingdom — a series of demolition operations to prevent capture of oil installations and stocks by the Germans

"1941"

* "Operation 25" (1941) flagicon|Nazi Germany flagicon|Italy|1861 flagicon|Hungary|1940 — invasion of Yugoslavia.
**"Strafe" ("Punishment") (1941) flagicon|Nazi Germany — Bombing of Belgrade by Luftwaffe as part of "Operation 25"

"1942"

* "Basalt" (1942) flagicon|United Kingdom — raid on Sark
* "Biting" (1942) flagicon|United Kingdom — commando raid on radar site in France
* "Bolero" (1942) flagicon|United States|1912 — build-up of US forces and matériel for "Roundup". Later utilized during "Torch" and "Overlord".
* "Zerberus" flagicon|Nazi Germany — ("Cerberus") (1942) — break-out of German capital ships from Brest later dubbed the "Channel Dash".
* "Chariot" (1942) flagicon|United Kingdom — British raid on Saint Nazaire.
* "Clawhammer" (1942) flagicon|United Kingdom — planned commando raid on a radar site in France.
* "Fall Anton" (1942) flagicon|Nazi Germany flagicon|Italy|1861 — German occupation of Vichy France: "Attila" renamed, with Italian support.
* "Frankton" (1942) flagicon|United Kingdom — commando raid on shipping in Bordeaux.
* "Jubilee" (1942) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 — repelled invasion of Dieppe. See Also "Operation Rutter".
* "Lila" (1942) flagicon|Nazi Germany — plan to capture French fleet at Toulon.
* "MAUS" ("Mouse") (1942) flagicon|Nazi Germany flagicon|Italy|1861 — Major drive towards the Caucasus.
* "Millennium" (1942) flagicon|United Kingdom — British 1000 bomber raid on Cologne.
* "Plan W" (1942) flagicon|Ireland flagicon|United Kingdom — planning between Allies and neutral Éire (Ireland) to deal with Fall Grün.
* "Roundup" (1942) flagicon|United States|1912 — plan to invade Europe in even of German or Soviet collapse. Later abandoned in favor of "Torch" landings. Planning for "Roundup" included;
** "Sledgehammer" (1942) — establishment of beachhead in Cherbourg or Brest.
** "Roundhammer" — revised planning for "Roundup".

"1943"

* "Bellicose" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — British bombing mission against Friedrichshafen and La Spezia.
* "Bolero" (1943/1944) flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|United Kingdom — build-up of US forces and matériel in preparation for Allied invasion of France.
* "Chastise" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — bombing of Ruhr area dams popularly known as the "Dambuster" raid.
* "Corona" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — bombing raid on Kassel, Germany.
* "Constellation" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — one of several proposals to retake the Channel Islands;
** "Condor" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — proposal to retake Jersey
** "Concertina" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — proposal to retake Alderney
** "Coverlet" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — proposal to retake Guernsey
* "Crossbow" (1943/1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — plan to destroy rocket production and launch sites. See Also "Pointblank".
** "Hydra" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — bombing of Peenemünde rocket research center.
*"Double Strike" (1943) flagicon|United States|1912 — Bombing of Regensburg and Schweinfurt.
* "Project Habakkuk" (1943) flagicon|United Kingdom — project to construct an aircraft carrier from ice.
* "Pointblank" (1943) — flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|United Kingdom Umbrella for bombing offensive by USAAF and RAF in preparation for "Overlord".
** "Gomorrah" flagicon|United Kingdom (1943) sequence of air raids on Hamburg.

"1944"

* "Clipper" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|United Kingdom — Allied assault on Siegfried Line at Geilenkirchen.
* "Constellation" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — occupation of Venraij and Venlo by British VIII Corps.
** "Aintree" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — occupation of Overloon and Venraij by British 3rd Infantry Division.
* "Diver" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — Defence of London against V-1 attack.
* "Houndsmith" (1944) — Special Air Service (SAS) action near Dijon.
*"Hurricane" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|United Kingdom — Bombing of Ruhr. See Also "Chastise".
* "" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 capture of Walcheren Island- final phase of the Battle of the Scheldt.
* "Jericho" flagicon|United Kingdom (1944) — air-raid on Amiens prison to release French Resistance prisoners
*"Lost" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — British raid on Brittany
* "Loyton" (1944) — unsuccessful large SAS action in Vosges mountains.
* "Lüttich" flagicon|Nazi Germany — German counter-offensive at Mortain.
* "Marine" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — Dropping of naval mines into the Rhine
* "Market Garden" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|Poland — Allied airborne attempt to cross the lower Rhine.
** "Comet" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — early draft of "Market Garden"
** "Berlin" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — defeat and withdrawal of British 1st Airborne.
* "Nelson" (1944) — cancelled SAS action in France.
* "Newton" (1944) flagicon|Free French — Free French SAS action in Burgundy, France
* "Overlord" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 flagicon|Free French — invasion of Normandy, France. See also "Pointblank".
** "Aberlour" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — cancelled follow-up to "Mitten".
** "Astonia" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 — assault on Le Havre
** "Bluecoat" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 — advance to River Vire
** "Bodyguard" — deception plan, including:
*** "Ferdinand" (1944) —
**** "Skye"
*** "Fortitude" (1944) — two deception operations to mislead over location of landings
*** "Glimmer" (1944) — feint towards Pas de Calais
*** "Hambone" (1944) — also known as "Copperhead"
*** "Jael"
*** "Quicksilver"
*** "Zeppelin" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — deception plan to depict an amphibious landing on Crete, western Greece, or the Romanian Black Sea coast
** "Charnwood" (1944) flagicon|Canada|1921 — assault on Caen.
** "Chicago" flagicon|United States|1912 — Allied airdrop
** "Cobra" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 — breakout from Normandy.
*** "Dunhill" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — SAS action in support of "Cobra".
** "Cooney" (1944) flagicon|Free French — Free French SAS action in St Malo area.
** "Dauntless" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — British XXX Corps.
** "Defoe" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — SAS action in Normandy
** "Detroit" flagicon|United States|1912 — American airdrop in Normandy
** "Dingson" flagicon|Free French — Free French commando raid
** "Epsom" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — British assault west of Caen, Normandy
** "Goodwood" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — British breakout attempt (?) from Normandy
*** "Atlantic" (1944) flagicon|Canada|1921 — Supporting operation for "Goodwood"
*** "Pomegranate" (1944} flagicon|United Kingdom — preparation for "Goodwood"
** "Greenline" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — XXI XXX & XXI British Corps
** "Grouse" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — advance towards Tinchebray (also called "Wallop").
** "Jupiter" flagicon|United Kingdom — British attack to occupy and hold Hill 112, near Caen
** "Kitten" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 — British and Canadian advance to the Seine.
** "Mulberry" (1944) — creation of safe anchorages using block ships
** "Neptune" — landing phase of "Overlord"
*** "Accumulator" (1944) — diversionary naval operation near to the Channel Islands
*** "Bravado" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — mine-laying around Kiel Canal to inhibit German naval reaction
*** "Gambit" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — use of X-Craft midget submarines as navigation beacons off "Sword" and "Juno" beaches
*** "Maple" flagicon|United Kingdom — Allied naval minelaying operations to inhibit German naval reaction
** "Mitten" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — elimination of German position at Chateau de la Ronde
** "Paddle" (1944) flagicon|Canada|1921 — Canadian pursuit of German forces
** "Pirate" (1944) flagicon|Canada|1921 flagicon|United Kingdom — Anglo-Canadian training exercise prior to D-Day, at Studland Bay, England
** "Pluto" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — construction of undersea oil pipelines between England and France
** "Postage Able" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — landing beach surveys using X-Craft and divers
** "Spring" flagicon|Canada|1921 — Canadian attack on high ground, south of Caen
** "Sussex" flagicon|Free French — insertion of French OSS operatives into France to report German troop movements
** "Tiger" (1944) flagicon|United States|1912 — Allied training exercise prior to D-Day, near Slapton, England
** "Tonga" flagicon|United Kingdom — British airdrop in Normandy, east of the Orne River
** "Operation Totalize" (1944) flagicon|Canada|1921 flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Poland — Allied effort to trap German armour in Normandy
**"Tractable" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|Canada|1921 — continuation of Operation Totalize to close the Falaise pocket
** "Trousers" (1944) flagicon|Canada|1921 flagicon|United Kingdom — Anglo-Canadian training exercise prior to D-Day, near Slapton, England
** "Walter" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — tidy-up operation, using two brigades.
** "Wallop" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — advance towards Tinchebray (also called "Grouse").
** "Windsor" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — .
* "Pegasus" (1944) — Allied rescue of troops after failure of "Market Garden"
* "Queen" (1944) — aerial close-support operation in Hurtgen Forest, east of Aachen
* "Switchback" (1944) flagicon|Canada|1921 taking of Breskens pocket, first phase of the Battle of the Scheldt.
* "Vitality" (1944) flagicon|Canada|1921 taking of South Beveland, second phase of the Battle of the Scheldt.
* "Wacht am Rhein" ("Watch on the Rhine") (1944) flagicon|Nazi Germany — counteroffensive in the Ardennes
** "Greif" ("Griffin") (1944) flagicon|Nazi Germany — infiltration using troops disguised in Allied uniforms.
** "Stösser" (1944) flagicon|Nazi Germany — airborne drop in support of the "Wacht am Rhein".
** "Bodenplatte" ("Baseplate") (1945) flagicon|Nazi Germany — Luftwaffe support raids on Allied airbases. Re-scheduled to 1 January 1945.
* "Constellation" (1944) flagicon|United Kingdom — occupation of Venraij and Venlo by British VIII Corps.

"1945"

* "Amherst" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — airborne raid in the Netherlands
* "Blackcock" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — clearance of the Roer Triangle by the British 2nd Army
* "Bremen" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — occupation of Bremen
* "Goldflake" (1945) flagicon|Canada|1921 — Canadian 1st Corps moves from Italy to northwest Europe under command of Canadian First Army
* "Grenade" (1945) flagicon|United States|1912 — US Ninth Army crossing of the Roer (see also Veritable)
* "Nordwind" ("North Wind") (1945) flagicon|Nazi Germany — attempt to open a second front in Alsace
* "Plunder" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|United States|1912 — 21st Army Group crossing of the Rhine
** "Archway" flagicon|United Kingdom — SAS operation to support "Plunder"
** "Varsity" flagicon|United Kingdom flagicon|United States|1912 — airborne crossing in conjunction with "Plunder"
* "Schneeman" (1945) flagicon|Nazi Germany — German attempt to open a second front in Netherlands.
* "Veritable" (1945) flagicon|Canada|1921 flagicon|United Kingdom — Canadian First Army's crossing of the Roer (see also Grenade)
** "Blockbuster" (1945) flagicon|Canada|1921 — Canadian First Army's advance through the Hochswald to the Rhine
** "Heather" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — reinforcement of XXX Corps by British 3rd Infantry Division
** "Ventilate" (1945) flagicon|United Kingdom — cancelled assault crossing of the Maas by British 3rd Infantry Division

ee also

List of World War II military operations

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]