List of Japanese Auxiliary Cruiser Commerce Raiders
Encyclopedia
This is a list of the Japanese Auxiliary Cruiser Commerce Raiders
in World War II.
The success of the German raiders in World War I
was not lost on the Japanese. In 1941,the Aikoku Maru and Hokoku Maru, two passenger-cargo vessels built for the Osaka Shipping Line’s South America route, were requisitioned for conversion to Armed Merchant Cruisers (AMC).
Before and during the Pacific War
, Japan converted 14 merchant ships to Armed Merchant Cruisers (AMCs). Although two of these ships initially enjoyed some successes by sinking the American freighters Malama and Vincent and the British Elysia, the early loss of the Hokoku Maru after a battle with the armed Dutch tanker Ondina and the pressing need for more transports to support their far-flung Pacific empire resulted in the reconversion of most of Japan’s AMC fleet. By the end of 1943, five of their AMCs had been sunk and seven reconverted. The remaining two were lost in 1944.
Unlike the Kriegsmarine's raider Atlantis, that stayed at sea 622 days in World War II
and sank or captured 23 ships of 145,697-tons, most Japanese AMCs had but short and undistinguished careers.
Commerce raiding
Commerce raiding or guerre de course is a form of naval warfare used to destroy or disrupt the logistics of an enemy on the open sea by attacking its merchant shipping, rather than engaging the combatants themselves or enforcing a blockade against them.Commerce raiding was heavily criticised by...
in World War II.
The success of the German raiders in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
was not lost on the Japanese. In 1941,the Aikoku Maru and Hokoku Maru, two passenger-cargo vessels built for the Osaka Shipping Line’s South America route, were requisitioned for conversion to Armed Merchant Cruisers (AMC).
Before and during the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, Japan converted 14 merchant ships to Armed Merchant Cruisers (AMCs). Although two of these ships initially enjoyed some successes by sinking the American freighters Malama and Vincent and the British Elysia, the early loss of the Hokoku Maru after a battle with the armed Dutch tanker Ondina and the pressing need for more transports to support their far-flung Pacific empire resulted in the reconversion of most of Japan’s AMC fleet. By the end of 1943, five of their AMCs had been sunk and seven reconverted. The remaining two were lost in 1944.
Unlike the Kriegsmarine's raider Atlantis, that stayed at sea 622 days in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and sank or captured 23 ships of 145,697-tons, most Japanese AMCs had but short and undistinguished careers.