Watch Real WWII Footage as Nagumo Leads a Bold Japanese Carrier Raid into the Indian Ocean

Task Force and Strategic Aim

In early April 1942, a fleet of six Japanese carriers known as Kido Butai launched strikes against British forces around Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, before the Battle of Midway. The operation aimed to weaken the British Eastern Fleet and disrupt Allied control of the Indian Ocean to support land operations in Burma and India. The carrier Akagi, among others, flew dozens of dive bombers and fighters during the raid on Colombo on April 5, sinking ships, damaging port facilities, and downing British aircraft before returning safely.

Raid on Trincomalee and Loss of Hermes

On April 9, aircraft from the Japanese carriers attacked Trincomalee harbor. A floatplane from the battleship Haruna located HMS Hermes and HMAS Vampire, and a strike group of dive bombers overwhelmed them. Hermes was hit by more than forty bombs and sank along with Vampire, with heavy loss of life—over 300 sailors died aboard Hermes. Videos from historic U.S. archives show archival footage, some believed filmed aboard Akagi, of these events, including aerial views of the raids and footage of ships under attack.

Visual Record and Human Detail

The footage offers rare glimpses behind the scenes of flight decks preparing for attack, planes launching over open water, and naval aircraft carrier operations. Viewers might recognize aircraft taking off amid tension and the distant silhouettes of vessels under fire. The sinking of HMS Hermes appears as a dramatic moment in these archives, underlining the human cost and technical force behind the raid.

Historian’s Perspective

Historians see this raid as one of Japan’s last major carrier-based offensives before Midway. Intelligence warnings allowed most of the British fleet to avoid destruction, yet the loss of Hermes and damage at Colombo and Trincomalee revealed vulnerabilities. This event highlighted the reach and threat of carrier aviation over distant seas. Through film and archival records, modern audiences can better understand the nature of carrier operations and the pace of naval warfare in the Indian Ocean theater.

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