# Operation Orient

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{{Short description|World War II operation plan}}
{{About-distinguish|Operation Orient|North African Campaign}}
400x400px|thumb|right|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](/source/German_language): ''Fall Orient'') was the [code name](/source/code_name) given to the operation that envisioned [Nazi Germany](/source/Nazi_Germany) linking up with the [Empire of Japan](/source/Empire_of_Japan) mainly through the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East). Not to be confused with the [North African campaign](/source/North_African_campaign), which was highlighted in ''[Führer-Directive](/source/List_of_Adolf_Hitler's_directives) Nr. 32'' and gave large priority to capturing [Tobruk](/source/Tobruk) and ultimately securing [North Africa](/source/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](/source/Soviet_Union), while also was projected an invasion and possible conquest of [British India](/source/British_Raj), collapsing the [British Empire](/source/British_Empire).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Macksey |first=Kenneth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eZx8DAAAQBAJ&pg=PT66 |title=The Hitler Options: Alternate Decisions of World War II |date=2015-02-19 |publisher=Frontline Books |isbn=978-1-4738-4247-2 |language=en}}</ref>{{Pn|date=August 2024}} 

The operation was planned since February 17 of 1941 by order of Hitler to the [Oberkommando der Wehrmacht](/source/Oberkommando_der_Wehrmacht), having the official codename of "OKW/WEStb/L No. 44180/41 gk".<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Malhotra |first=Iqbal Chand |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Iu1WEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT90 |title=Dark Secrets: Politics, Intrigue and Proxy Wars in Kashmir |date=2022-01-28 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-93-5435-545-5 |language=en}}</ref>{{Pn|date=August 2024}}

The operation was to be initiated after Germany had captured the [Caucasus](/source/Caucasus), secured the territories in [North Africa](/source/North_Africa), and finally overcome resistance by the Soviets. German armies would launch attacks from [Libya](/source/Italian_Libya) through [Egypt](/source/Kingdom_of_Egypt) and from [Bulgaria](/source/Kingdom_of_Bulgaria) through [Turkey](/source/Turkey), conquering [British Palestine](/source/British_Palestine) and occupying [French Syria-Lebanon](/source/French_Syria). These armies would then link up in Middle East<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> and then march through [Iran](/source/Pahlavi_Iran) and [Iraq](/source/Kingdom_of_Iraq) as an assembled force finally convening in India on the [70th meridian east](/source/70th_meridian_east), where they would seal their final victory over [Britain](/source/United_Kingdom).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Englund |first=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5xyUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT138 |title=La svolta: Novembre 1942. I giorni che cambiarono il destino del mondo |date=2022-10-25 |publisher=Marsilio Editori spa |isbn=978-88-297-1776-7 |language=it}}</ref>{{Pn|date=August 2024}}

Due to [Operation Barbarossa](/source/Operation_Barbarossa), all the Axis planned offensives against British Empire were suspended.
Furthermore, the defeats at the [Stalingrad](/source/Battle_of_Stalingrad) and the [El Alamein](/source/Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein) in late 1942 and early 1943 cancelled the planned operation.

==See also==
* [Axis powers negotiations on the division of Asia](/source/Axis_powers_negotiations_on_the_division_of_Asia)
* [Case Blue](/source/Case_Blue)
* [Erich Raeder's "Mediterranean plan"](/source/Erich_Raeder_during_World_War_II)
* [Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere](/source/Greater_East_Asia_Co-Prosperity_Sphere)

==References==
{{reflist}}

Category:1942 in Germany
Orient
Category:North African campaign
Orient
Orient
Category:Cancelled or proposed invasions of British India
Category:Cancelled or proposed invasions of Iraq
Category:Cancelled or proposed invasions of Syria
Category:Cancelled or proposed invasions of Lebanon
Category:Cancelled or proposed invasions of Iran
Category:Cancelled or proposed invasions of Afghanistan
Category:Cancelled or proposed invasions of Palestine

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