Operation Orient

This article is about Operation Orient. It is not to be confused with North African Campaign.

German troops were to advance through southern Russia and Africa, and Japanese troops would advance through India and ultimately link up near the proposed demarcation line at 70° E although it was never specified.

Operation Orient (German: Fall Orient) was the code name given to the operation that envisioned Nazi Germany linking up with the Empire of Japan mainly through the Middle East. Not to be confused with the North African campaign, which was highlighted in Führer-Directive Nr. 32 and gave large priority to capturing Tobruk and ultimately securing North Africa, Operation Orient focused on securing the Middle East and its oil fields and linking up with Japanese forces after the defeat of the Soviet Union.

The operation was to be initiated after Germany had captured the Caucasus, secured the territories in North Africa, and finally overcome resistance by the Soviets. German armies would launch attacks from Libya through Egypt and from Bulgaria through Turkey. These armies would then link up in the Middle East and then march through Iran and Iraq as an assembled force finally convening in India, where they would seal their final victory over Britain.

Defeats at Stalingrad and El Alamein in late 1942 and early 1943 cancelled the planned operation.

See also

• Axis powers negotiations on the division of Asia
• Case Blue
• Erich Raeder's "Mediterranean plan"
• Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere