Madagascar 1942: Operation Ironclad and the Fight against Vichy France

A highly illustrated look at Operation Ironclad and Britain's attempt to curtail any Japanese threat to the Indian Ocean.

The British invasion of Madagascar was brought on by a much exaggerated fear of Japanese power. France had governed the immense island in the Indian Ocean since 1897, but in 1940, it had become a colony of pro-German Vichy France. For a majority of the war, it was considered of little strategic importance, despite the natural harbour of Diego Suarez. Japan's entry into th...