Operation Olympic

The term "Operation Olympic" has two meanings. The first the proposed massive American-led invasion of Japan during World War II, and the other a little-known (and quickly changed) designation for U-2 spy plane flights during the Cold War.

1. The planned American invasion of the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, scheduled for 1 November, 1945. Part of Downfall, the overall plan for the invasion of Japan. Fifteen divisions were scheduled to take part in this landing. The naval armada would have been the largest ever seen, including forty-two aircraft carriers, twenty-four battleships and almost four hundred destroyers and destroyer escorts. Using Okinawa as a staging base, Olympic was to seize the southern portion of Kyushu as an advanced base for the follow-on Coronet operation. Never executed. Scheduled to include a deception plan; Operation Pastel. See Ten Ichi and Majestic.

2. A first word used to designate operations by U-2 aircraft. Examples might include "Olympic Alpha," or other variations. By extension such a name might be used to designate information produced by such a flight.