The Battle of Northern Madagascar, 1942 | Operation Ironclad | Easy Red 2 Mod

5/5/1942 Map and mission by Swadian_Squirrel https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/f... The Battle of Northern Madagascar, known as Operation Ironclad, began on 5 May 1942 when British forces launched an amphibious assault against the Vichy French-controlled island of Madagascar. The operation was driven by Allied fears that Japan might gain access to the island's excellent harbors—particularly the port of Diego Suarez (now Antsiranana)—which could threaten vital shipping routes between Britain, India, the Middle East, and Australia. British troops, supported by naval bombardment and air strikes, landed on the northern coast and quickly advanced against determined but outnumbered Vichy French defenders. After several days of fighting, Allied forces captured Diego Suarez on 7 May, securing the strategic harbor. Although the initial operation focused on northern Madagascar, resistance elsewhere on the island continued for months, leading to a broader Allied campaign that eventually brought the entire island under Allied control by November 1942. Operation Ironclad was one of the first major Allied amphibious assaults of the war and successfully prevented Madagascar from becoming a potential base for Axis or Japanese naval operations in the Indian Ocean.