308 - Mers El-Kébir: The British Attack on the French Navy
· 43 min · Episode 308
Episode 308 - Mers El-Kébir: The British Attack on the French Navy
In the summer of 1940, Britain stood alone. France had fallen, invasion seemed possible, and Winston Churchill faced a grave question: what should be done about the powerful French fleet?
Fearing it might fall under German control, Britain launched Operation Catapult. At Mers el Kébir on 3 July 1940, the Royal Navy opened fire on its former ally, killing nearly 1,300 French sailors in one of the war's most painful and controversial decisions.
For this episode, I am joined by Edward Abel Smith, author of 'A Hateful Decision', which tells the full story of this dramatic moment through new research and eyewitness accounts.
Links in the notes 2
- https://www.edwardabelsmith.com
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hateful-Decision-Edward-Abel-Smith/dp/0857509624/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2Kzfil2I_QJdarudpVXrfs5yDQlYWq7bDKuYEEx0fRhJMKlv_ngh7AtTFQkLJ96PwIUpkzXnaDIlMyYthtqNjeAP6F8yfJGh-XGjBQPyg7g.If11AkW2zN89O2bNkb9Fdo2_bGF5kz_--4vHlWkZPmk&dib_tag=se&qid=1778609530&refinements=p_27%3AEdward+Abel+Smith&s=books&sr=1-3&text=Edward+Abel+Smith
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