Operation Culverin
Encyclopedia
Operation Culverin was a planned operation in World War II
, in which Allied troops would recapture the northern tip of Sumatra
(the present day province of Aceh
) from the Japanese
. It was never carried out. Lack of resources prevented it being mounted as originally planned, and other events later made it unnecessary.
The idea was first put forward by Winston Churchill
at the Quebec Conference
on August 20, 1943. He was dissatisfied by the existing scope of Allied plans for the South East Asian Theatre
for 1943 and 1944. In his vision, by seizing northern Sumatra, "we should be striking and seizing a point of our own against which the Japanese would have to beat themselves if they wished to avoid the severe drain which would be imposed on their shipping by our air action from Sumatra".
At this point, no detailed staff study of the operation had been made, and the matter was allowed to lapse.
It was revived in February, 1944 when a delegation from Admiral Mountbatten
, the Supreme Commander of the South East Asia Command
, reported to the Defence Committee in London. Mountbatten proposed amphibious operations in cooperation with the American South West Pacific Area
. "Culverin" would be a necessary first part of this plan. However, the American Joint Chiefs of Staff
did not favour this idea. (In part this was because Mountbatten's Deputy Supreme Commander, the American General Joseph Stilwell
, had sent a separate mission to Washington
to represent his own differing views to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.)
In the event, most of the Imperial Japanese Navy's
battleship
s and cruiser
s were transferred to Singapore
at about the same time. As amphibious operations depended on local naval superiority, "Culverin" had to be abandoned. The Royal Navy
could not reinforce their fleet in the Indian Ocean
with sufficient strength to face the Japanese main battle fleet, and the United States Navy
was committed to operations in the Central Pacific and South West Pacific, and unwilling to divert their fleets from the Pacific.)
The South East Asia Command was far more cautious in its estimates for resources required for successful amphibious operations than Churchill. For the much less ambitious Operation Buccaneer, the proposed capture of the Andaman Islands
, they proposed a land force of 50,000 men, where Churchill had assumed that only a single division (14,000 men) would be necessary. Also, since no land-based air support would be available until a very large beachhead had been secured, Mountbatten demanded the use of almost every aircraft carrier
possessed by the Royal Navy, which would have had adverse effects on other operations.
In the middle of 1945, the matter was finally dropped. The Japanese fleet had been destroyed or immobilised, but the preferred plan was Operation Zipper
, a landing on the coast of Malaya
. The final major landing in the area was the May 1945 assault on Rangoon, Operation Dracula
.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in which Allied troops would recapture the northern tip of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
(the present day province of Aceh
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
) from the Japanese
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. It was never carried out. Lack of resources prevented it being mounted as originally planned, and other events later made it unnecessary.
The idea was first put forward by Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
at the Quebec Conference
Quebec Conference, 1943
The First Quebec Conference was a highly secret military conference held during World War II between the British, Canadian and United States governments. The conference was held in Quebec City, August 17, 1943 – August 24, 1943. It took place at the Citadelle and at the Château Frontenac. The...
on August 20, 1943. He was dissatisfied by the existing scope of Allied plans for the South East Asian Theatre
South-East Asian theatre of World War II
The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in Burma , Ceylon, India, Thailand, Indochina, Malaya and Singapore. Conflict in the theatre began when the Empire of Japan invaded Thailand and Malaya from bases located in Indochina on December 8,...
for 1943 and 1944. In his vision, by seizing northern Sumatra, "we should be striking and seizing a point of our own against which the Japanese would have to beat themselves if they wished to avoid the severe drain which would be imposed on their shipping by our air action from Sumatra".
At this point, no detailed staff study of the operation had been made, and the matter was allowed to lapse.
It was revived in February, 1944 when a delegation from Admiral Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, the Supreme Commander of the South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II.-Background:...
, reported to the Defence Committee in London. Mountbatten proposed amphibious operations in cooperation with the American South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area was the name given to the Allied supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatres of World War II, during 1942–45...
. "Culverin" would be a necessary first part of this plan. However, the American Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
did not favour this idea. (In part this was because Mountbatten's Deputy Supreme Commander, the American General Joseph Stilwell
Joseph Stilwell
General Joseph Warren Stilwell was a United States Army four-star General known for service in the China Burma India Theater. His caustic personality was reflected in the nickname "Vinegar Joe"...
, had sent a separate mission to Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to represent his own differing views to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.)
In the event, most of the Imperial Japanese Navy's
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s and cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s were transferred to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
at about the same time. As amphibious operations depended on local naval superiority, "Culverin" had to be abandoned. The Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
could not reinforce their fleet in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
with sufficient strength to face the Japanese main battle fleet, and the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
was committed to operations in the Central Pacific and South West Pacific, and unwilling to divert their fleets from the Pacific.)
The South East Asia Command was far more cautious in its estimates for resources required for successful amphibious operations than Churchill. For the much less ambitious Operation Buccaneer, the proposed capture of the Andaman Islands
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...
, they proposed a land force of 50,000 men, where Churchill had assumed that only a single division (14,000 men) would be necessary. Also, since no land-based air support would be available until a very large beachhead had been secured, Mountbatten demanded the use of almost every aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
possessed by the Royal Navy, which would have had adverse effects on other operations.
In the middle of 1945, the matter was finally dropped. The Japanese fleet had been destroyed or immobilised, but the preferred plan was Operation Zipper
Operation Zipper
During the Second World War, Operation Zipper was a British plan to capture either Port Swettenham or Port Dickson, Malaya as staging areas for the recapture of Singapore. However, due to the end of the war in the Pacific, it was never fully executed. Some of the proposed landings on Penang went...
, a landing on the coast of Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
. The final major landing in the area was the May 1945 assault on Rangoon, Operation Dracula
Operation Dracula
During World War II, Operation Dracula was the name given to an airborne and amphibious attack on Rangoon by British and Indian forces, part of the Burma Campaign. When it was launched, the Imperial Japanese Army had already abandoned the city.-Background:...
.
Sources
- Closing the Ring, Vol. 5 of Winston Churchill's memoirs of World War II.
- Jon Latimer, Burma: The Forgotten War, London: John Murray, 2004 ISBN 0-7195-6576-6