World War II Research Aid




World War II German and Japanese Military Codenames



Here you will find the military codes used by the Germans and Japanese for their operations during World War II.

    German Codenames

  • Achse (Axis): Disarmament of the Italian armed forces on the Allied invasion of Italy (September, 1943). Also known as Alarich and Konstantin.
  • Aida: The advance into Egypt (Jan., 1942).
  • Alrich: See Achse.
  • Anton: Occupation of the unoccupied zone of France, formerly called Attila (11 November, 1942).
  • Barbarossa: The invasion of Russia (22 June, 1941).
  • Birke (Birch Tree): The evacuation of Finland (Aug., 1944).
  • Birkhahn (Blackcock): The evacuation of Norway (1945).
  • Blau (Blue): Offensive launched by the northern wing of Army Group South of Voronezh (1942). See Maus & Siegfried.
  • Blume (Flower): The alarm for an Allied invasion of France from the Channel or the South.
  • Bodenplatte (Base Plate): The Luftwaffe attack against Allied airfields in the Low Countries (1945).
  • Braunschweig (Brunswick): The offensive towards Stalingrad and the Caucusus (July, 1942).
  • Buffel-Bewegung (Buffalo Stampede): Operation on the Russian central front (1943).
  • Donnerschlag (Thunderbolt): The planned breakout of the 6th Army from Stalingrad (Dec., 1942). See also Wintergewitter.
  • Felix: The plan to occupy Gibraltar (1940).
  • Fritz: Early codename for the invasion of Russia. See Barbarossa.
  • Fall Blau (Case Blue): Planned Lufwaffe operation against Britain (1938-9).
  • Fall Gelb (Case Yellow):The plan for the invasion of France, Belgium and Holland (1939).
  • Fall Weis (Case White): The invasion of Poland (1939).
  • Gertrud: The plan to invade Turkey should she decide to join the Allies.
  • Gisela: Plan for the occupation of Spain and Portugal (1942).
  • Haifisch (Shark): The deception plan for Barbarossa.
  • Herbstnebel: Evacuation of the Po Plain (1944) and also early name for Wacht am Rhein.
  • Herkules: The operations against Malta (1942).
  • Isabella: The extension of Felix.
  • Kamelie: The occupation of Corsica (1942).
  • Margarethe: Occupation plan for Hungary (1944).
  • Margarethe II: Occupation plan for occupy Rumania.
  • Marita: Occupation of Greece as planned in 1940-1.
  • Maus (Mouse): Offensive by the southern wing of Army Group South into the Caucasus (July, 1942). See also Blau and Siegfried.
  • Merkur (Mercury): The airborne and sea landings on Crete (May, 1941).
  • Mittelmeer (Mediterranean): The air operations in that theatre (Dec., 1940 to January, 1941).
  • Morgenrote (Dawn): Counteroffensive against the Anzio beachhead, Italy (Jan., 1944).
  • Nord (North): The first code for the invasion of Norway. See Weserubung.
  • Nordlicht (Northern Lights): The offensive against Leningrad (1942).
  • Nordwind (North Wind): Attack in North Alsace (1944). See Wacht am Rhein.
  • Operation Rot (Operation Red): Second half of the Battle for France (June 1940).
  • Regenbogen (Rainbow): The attack by the Lutzow and the Hipper on the Allied Northern Convoy, (Dec., 1942).
  • Rheinubung (Rhine Exercise): The Atlantic raid by the Bismarck and the Prinz Eugen (May, 1941).
  • Rosselsprung (Knight's Move): Attack on the Allied Murmansk to Archangel convoy (July, 1942).
  • Schwarz: Military take-over of Italy (1943).
  • Seelowe (Sealion): Plan for the invasion of England (1940).
  • Siegfried: Advance by the centre Army Group South from Kharkov to Stalingrad (July, 1942). See Blau and Maus.
  • Silberfuchs (Silver Fox): The concentration of troops in Finland for the invasion of Russia (May-June, 1941).
  • Sonnenblume (Sunflower): The deployment of German troops to Africa (early 1941).
  • Taifun (Typhoon): The offensive against Moscow (1941).
  • Trojanisches Pferd (Trojan Horse): The occupation of Budapest as a part of Margarethe.
  • Wacht am Rhein (Gaurd on the Rhine): Ardennes offensive (1944).
  • Weserubung (Weser Exercise): Invasion of Denmark and Norway. See also Nord.
  • Wintergewitter (Winter Storm): The attack to relieve Stalingrad (Dec., 1942). See Donnerschlag.
  • Zitadelle (Citadel): Attack on the Kursk salient (July, 1943).

    Japanese Codenames


  • A-Go: The plan to bring the US fleet to battle East of the Philippines, the Battle of the Philippine Sea (June, 1944).
  • Ha-Go: A divisionary offensive in Arakan, Burma, as a preliminary to U-Go.
  • I: An air offensive from Rabaul, Philippines, against the US fleet in Papua New Guinea and the Solomons (April, 1943).
  • Ichi-Go: The offensive in China (April, 1944).
  • Ketsu-Go: The plan for the defense of Japan in case of an invasion (1945).
  • Kon: The reinforcement of Japanese troops at Biak, New Guinea (May-June, 1944).
  • Mo: The Port Moresby and Coral Sea offensive (May, 1942).
  • Ro: The defense of Rabaul (Nov., 1943).
  • Sho-Go: Battle of the Leyte Gulf (Oct., 1944).
  • Ta: Offensive at Bougainville, Solomon Is. (Nov., 1943).
  • Ten-Go: The naval offensive off Okinawa and Iwo Jima (April-July, 1945).
  • U-Go: The Imphal Offensive (March-July, 1944).





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