The Battle of the Malacca Strait, sometimes called the Sinking of the "Haguro", was a naval battle in World War II. The battle started because the British were searching for Japanese ships to sink. This May 1945 action was called "Operation Dukedom". It resulted in the sinking of the Japanese cruiser . "Haguro" had been supplying Japanese troops in the Dutch East Indies and the Bay of Bengal since 1 May 1945.