Attack on Force Z

E473253

Attack on Force Z was the World War II Japanese air assault that sank the British capital ships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse off the coast of Malaya in December 1941, marking a decisive blow to British naval power in the Pacific.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf aerial attack
military engagement
aftermath boosted Japanese morale in early Pacific War
weakened Allied deterrent in Southeast Asia
airCover no fighter air cover for British ships
aircraftTypeUsed Mitsubishi G3M bomber NERFINISHED
Mitsubishi G4M bomber NERFINISHED
alsoKnownAs Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse NERFINISHED
attackingForce Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service NERFINISHED
attackingForceType land-based naval aircraft
belligerent Imperial Japanese Navy NERFINISHED
Royal Navy NERFINISHED
casualties over 800 British sailors killed
commanderOpposingForce Admiral Sir Tom Phillips NERFINISHED
Rear Admiral Arthur Palliser NERFINISHED
conflict World War II
countryInvolved Empire of Japan NERFINISHED
United Kingdom
date 10 December 1941
endDate 10 December 1941
forceAttacked Force Z NERFINISHED
historicalInterpretation turning point in naval warfare toward air power dominance
location South China Sea NERFINISHED
off the coast of Malaya
navalFormationAttacked British Eastern Fleet vanguard NERFINISHED
notableDeath Admiral Sir Tom Phillips NERFINISHED
objectiveOfForceZ intercept Japanese invasion convoys
partOf Pacific War
precededBy sortie of Force Z from Singapore
region off Kuantan, Malaya
relatedEvent Attack on Pearl Harbor NERFINISHED
relatedOperation Japanese invasion of Malaya NERFINISHED
result Japanese victory
sinking of HMS Prince of Wales
sinking of HMS Repulse
shipSunk HMS Prince of Wales NERFINISHED
HMS Repulse NERFINISHED
shipTypeTargeted battlecruiser
battleship
startDate 10 December 1941
strategicConsequence demonstrated vulnerability of battleships to air power
left British Far Eastern fleet without capital ship cover
strategicSignificance decisive blow to British naval power in the Pacific
tactics level bombing
torpedo bombing
target HMS Prince of Wales NERFINISHED
HMS Repulse NERFINISHED
theater Pacific Ocean NERFINISHED
Southeast Asian theatre of World War II NERFINISHED

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Sinking of HMS Repulse alsoKnownAs Attack on Force Z