Operation Kido Butai

Operation Kido Butai was Japan’s formidable naval fleet during World War II, specifically its carrier strike force responsible for major naval battles. Formed in 1941, it included six aircraft carriers, battleships, and support ships, and was designed to project Japanese military power across the Pacific. Its most famous action was the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, which aimed to quickly disable the U.S. Pacific Fleet and secure Japanese dominance in the region. The operation demonstrated Japan’s strategic focus on rapid, decisive naval strikes using aircraft carriers, symbolizing a new era of naval warfare centered around air power.