An detailed illustrated exploration of the Japanese raid into the
Indian Ocean in April 1942 – one of the largest operations conducted
by the Imperial Navy during the war. In the wake of Japan's conquest
of Burma in early 1942, plans were formed by the Imperial high command
to capture Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka) to consolidate Japan's defensive
perimeter and disrupt British shipping lanes to India, Australia, and
the Middle East. The Imperial Japanese Army, however, could not
release sufficient troops for an invasion, and so in response the
Japanese Navy developed Operation C, an aggressive raid by the
Combined Fleet into the Indian Ocean. The key objective was to destroy
the British Eastern Fleet in port. Expert naval historian Mark Stille
documents the high point of Japanese naval air power as its carriers
struck Ceylon – the heart of British naval power in the East –
sinking several Allied ships. He describes the Allied air attempts to
destroy Admiral Chuichi Nagumo's force, and the Japanese attacks
against British shipping and the cities along the Indian coast.
Specially commissioned battlescenes bring to life the sinking of
British carrier Hermes, the Bristol Blenheim attacks on the Japanese
carrier force, and a Zero vs Hurricane dogfight over Colombo on 5
April. Easy to follow maps and diagrams reveal the strategic situation
at the start and end of the campaign, and track the movements of the
Japanese carrier task force and the British Eastern Fleet throughout.
Details of weaponry, equipment, personnel and the events of the
fascinating battles that took place are revealed in over 60
photographs, many of which are from Japanese sources.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781472854179
Publisert
2023
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Vendor
Osprey Publishing
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter