This is a list of known World War II era codenames for military operations and missions commonly associated with World War II. 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 Chronometer (1941) – Anglo-Indian capture of Assab Composition (1941) – FAA attack on Massawa Ironclad (1942) – Allied landings on Madagascar Streamline Jane (1942) – ground campaign on Madagascar Menace (1940) – seaborne Free French and British attack on Dakar, French West Africa (Senegal) Postmaster (1942) – SOE operation to capture three Axis vessels in the neutral Spanish island of Fernando Po Supply (1941) – Allied anti-submarine naval patrol off Madagascar
Atlantic Ocean Includes North Sea and Arctic Ocean operations 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 Drachenhöhle (1944) – aborted attack on Home Fleet at Scapa Flow, using Mistel composite aircraft Drumbeat (1942) – part of "Second Happy Time" (Paukenschlag) EJ (1941) – British anti-shipping operation off Norway Enclose (1943) – British anti-submarine air offensive in Bay of Biscay (also Enclose II) Foxchase (1945) – British anti-shipping operation off Norway Fronttheater (1943) – first aborted Arctic sortie by Scharnhorst, Prinz Eugen and destroyers Goodwood I, II, III and 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 Leader (1943) – antishipping operation off Norway by USS Ranger Lucid (1940) – attempt to destroy German invasion barges 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 and Tiger Claw (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 '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 Stonewall (1943) – Allied operation to intercept blockade runners in the Bay of Biscay Teardrop (1945) – anti U-boat operation 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 Admiral Hipper and destroyers
Eastern Front
Mediterranean Sea
South West Pacific and Pacific Ocean
China Manchukuo (1931-1942) Chongqing (1938-1943) Mission 204 (1942–1944) Sankō (1942–1944) – Japanese campaign in five provinces of northeastern China to crush the Chinese resistance following the Hundred Regiments Offensive Sei-go (1942) Gangnam (1943) Ichi-Go (1944) – Japanese campaign in eastern China to secure overland routes to Indo-China and airfields TO (1942) – plan to capture US airfields at Hengyang, Lingling, Lweilin and Liuchow Alpha (1944) – improvement of the defences of Kunming against Japanese threats Matterhorn (1944) – establishment of bases for US B-29 bomber aircraft
South West, South, and South East Asia Includes operations in Iraq, Syria, Iran, India, Burma, Malaya and Indo-China, and the Indian Ocean Anakim (1943) – proposed strategy to retake Burma and reopen the land route to China Bajadere (1942) – Possibly Fictional German special forces operation in India, including Free India Legion personnel Balsam (1945) – photographic reconnaissance of southern Malaya and airstrikes against Sumatran airfields BAN (1943) – defensive scheme for Mandalay and Meiktila Birdseed (1944) – anti-shipping raid against Ramree harbour area Boarding Party (1943) – raid against German ships interned in neutral port of Goa. Boomerang (1944) air raid on Palembang C (1942) – major Japanese naval incursion into Indian Ocean 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 Operation Musketeer I, II, III (1944-1945) – American and Filipino campaign to defeat and expel the Imperial Japanese forces occupying the Philippines. Collie (1945) – naval airstrikes against the Nicobar Islands and air cover for minesweeping forces near Phuket Island Corkscrew (1944) – anti-shipping raid against Gwa area Countenance (1941) – Allied invasion of neutral Iran Dover (1941) – occupation of Abadan Crackler (1941) — Marmalade (1941) — Mopup (1941) — Rapier (1941) — Bishop (1941) – mopping up of Abadan Island Crimson (1944) – Allied naval airstrike and bombardment of Sabang, Sumatra Culverin (1943) – proposed allied invasion of northern Sumatra Curtain (1944) – naval bombardment of coast near Indin Dracula (1945) – British amphibious assault on Rangoon, Burma. Bishop (1945) – covering operation for Dracula Diplomat (1944) – Allied exercise in preparation for joint operations against the Japanese Dukedom (1945) – British search and destroy operation for Japanese cruiser Haguro Exporter (1941) – British and Commonwealth invasion of Vichy French-held Syria Foil (1945) – cutting of submarine telephone cables off Hong Kong Franz (1942) – proposal to establish sabotage teams in Iran 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 Pike (1940) – planned air attack on Soviet oil installations at Baku Pioneer (1944) – aborted anti-shipping raid against Kyaukpyu harbour Rathunt (1944) – naval patrol of coast near Gwa Rimau (1942) – anti-shipping raid by special forces on Japanese shipping in Singapore harbour Sabine (1941) – British and Commonwealth invasion of the Kingdom of Iraq to restore government ousted by Rashid Ali; 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 Screwdriver (1944) – combined operations raid against a Japanese headquarters at Sitaparokia Rock Scupper (1944) – anti-shipping sweep north of Gwa Sheikh Mahmut (1943) – failed attempt to establish bases in Iraq 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) – Anglo-Indian capture of Akyab island and construction of supply airbase in support of Burma campaign Lightning (1945) – landings on Akyab island Thursday (1944) – Chindits operation in Burma Transom (1944) – Allied naval air raid on Surabaya, Java Turret (1945) – Anglo-Indian landings and capture of Taungup U-Go (1944) – Japanese assault on Imphal and Kohima Zipper (1945) Planned British seaborne landing in Malaya. Slippery (1945) deception operation for Zipper Broadsword Planned offensive to northern Malaya following Operation Zipper. Mailfist Planned offensive to liberate southern Malaya and Singapore following Operation Zipper.
Scandinavia and Finland
Axis Birke ("Birch") (1944) – German plan to withdraw from northern Finland prior to the Lapland War. Birkhahn (1945) – German evacuation from Norway.pp. 138–139, Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand Büffel ("Buffalo") (1940) – German operation to relieve troops in Narvik, Norway. Hokki ("Calk") (1944) – Finnish plan to destroy railroad tracks to deny the Soviets their supplies. Holzauge ("Wood knot") (1942) – activities in Greenland. Ikarus (1940) – planned German invasion of Iceland in response to British Operation Fork. Juno (1940) – German naval operation to disturb allied supplies to Norway. Kilpapurjehdus ("Regatta") (1941) – Finnish naval operation for the militarization of the Åland islands. Lachsfang (1942) – Proposed combined German and Finnish attack against Kandalaksha and Belomorsk. Nordlicht ("Aurora Borealis") (1944) – German withdrawal from the Kola Peninsula into Norway. Silberfuchs ("Silver Fox") (1941) – German and Finnish operations in the Arctic, including: Blaufuchs 1 ("Blue Fox 1") (1941) – Staging of German forces from Germany to northern Finland. Blaufuchs 2 ("Blue Fox 2") (1941) – Staging of German forces from Norway to northern Finland. Platinfuchs ("Platinum Fox") (1941) – Joint German-Finnish attack towards Murmansk from Finnish Petsamo. Polarfuchs ("Polar Fox") (1941) – Joint German-Finnish attack towards Kandalaksha from Finnish Lapland. Rentier ("Reindeer") (1941) – German occupation of Petsamo. Sizilien (1943) – German raid upon allied occupied Spitsbergen (Svalbard). Tanne Ost (1944) – failed German attempt to capture Suursaari from Finland. Tanne West (1944) – planned German attempt to capture Åland from Finland.