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Unternehmen Donnerkeil (Operation or Undertaking Thunderbolt)〔Hooton 1994, p. 114.〕〔〔Forsyth 2009, p. 14.〕 was the codename for a German military operation of the Second World War. ''Donnerkeil'' was designed as an air superiority operation to support the ''Kriegsmarine'' (German Navy) Operation Cerberus, also known as the "Channel Dash". In 1941 ''Kriegsmarine'' surface vessels had carried out commerce raiding sorties in support of the German U-Boats in the Battle of the Atlantic. In January 1941 Operation Berlin was launched followed by Operation Rheinübung in May 1941. The dominance of the Royal Navy's surface fleet prevented the German units returning to ports in the Baltic sea or Germany. The surviving ships, the battleships ''Scharnhorst'' and ''Gneisenau'' and the cruiser ''Prinz Eugen'', docked in the port of Brest, France. Throughout 1941 RAF Bomber Command attacked the ships in dock. The close proximity of the ports to Royal Air Force (RAF) airfields allowed a large number of sorties to be flown against the targets in quick succession. The ''Oberkommando der Marine'' (Naval High Command), and Adolf Hitler himself desired to move the ships out of range from potential air raids. In December 1941 the ''Oberkommando der Luftwaffe'' (High Command of the Air Force) was ordered to formulate an air superiority plan for the protection of three German capital ships to escape from France to Germany through the English Channel. ''General der Jagdflieger'' (General of the Fighter Force) Adolf Galland prepared the aerial assets for the operation. Both ''Cerberus'' and its supporting operation, ''Donnerkeil'', were launched on 11 February 1942. During the first phase of the operation the Germans achieved surprise. The German ships reached Germany on 13 February 1942, just two days after the start of ''Cerberus'' and ''Donnerkeil''. During the Channel Dash the ''Luftwaffe'' succeeded in defeating air attacks on the German ships during the operation, thus allowing them to reach German waters. In the air battles that took place over the Channel the British suffered heavy losses for a non-existent return. German losses were modest, and the operation achieved its objective. ==Background== The first German Capital ships to dock at Brest were the ''Scharnhorst'' and ''Gneisenau'', on 22 March 1941. In the previous eight weeks, January—March, they had participated in the German Operation Berlin against Allied shipping in the Atlantic Ocean. Just nine weeks later, the heavy cruiser ''Prinz Eugen'' also sought refuge in the harbour on 1 June 1941, after the failed Operation Rheinübung (Operation Exercise Rhine). However, whilst in port, the ships were in easy range of British air power and suffered frequent attacks and some damage. A ten-month offensive by the RAF from 29 March 1941 succeeded in flying 2,928 sorties against the Brest harbour, 171 in daylight. Some of these suffered heavy losses. A raid on 24 July lost 12 percent of its strength. Night bombing was safer as the Germans lacked night-fighters and the 18 losses to enemy action were claimed by Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA). During the course of their campaign the RAF used more sophisticated navigation aids. On the night of the 7/8 December 1941 the Oboe navigation aid was employed for the first time.〔Hooton 1994, p. 114.〕 Concerned after the loss of ''Bismarck'', Adolf Hitler ordered the ''Kriegsmarine'' to move the ships to Germany for overhauls in preparation for their deployment to Norway. There they were to serve as a fleet in being, and as the premier naval defence for German-occupied Norway. After lengthy discussions the ''Oberkommando der Marine'' opted for the shorter, but arguably more dangerous route, through the English Channel.〔Weal 1996, p. 15.〕〔Hooton 1994, p. 114.〕〔Garrett 1978, p. 89.〕〔Blair 1996, pp. 482—483, 487.〕 On 12 January 1942 Hitler met with the commanders of the operation at his Headquarters in East Prussia (Wolf's Lair). Present were Wilhelm Keitel, Commander-in-Chief of the ''Wehrmacht'' (German Armed Forces), Hans Jeschonnek (Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff), Alfred Jodl (Chief of Staff for Military Operations) and Adolf Galland, ''General der Jagdflieger'' (General of the Fighter Forces), Erich Raeder (Commander-in-Chief of the Navy) and Vice-Admiral Otto Ciliax, who was to lead the battle group (''Kampfgruppe'').〔Garrett 1978, p. 89.〕 During the course of the meeting Hitler likened the German fleet to "a patient with cancer which is doomed unless they submit to an operation. An operation, on the other hand, even though it may have to be drastic, will at least offer some hope that the patient's life may yet be saved. The passage of our ships is such an operation. It must be attempted".〔Garrett 1978, p. 89.〕 Not much operational detail was discussed. The ''Luftwaffe'' was ordered to provide air cover and diversion raids against British targets. Jeschonnek promised around 250 aircraft.〔Garrett 1978, p. 89.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Operation Donnerkeil」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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