What happened at Mers El Kebir?
The British bombardment of the base killed 1,297 French servicemen, sank a battleship and damaged five other ships, for a British loss of five aircraft shot down and two crewmen killed….Attack on Mers-el-Kébir.
| Date | 3 July 1940 |
|---|---|
| Location | Off Mers El Kébir, French Algeria, North Africa 35°43′10″N 0°41′20″W |
| Result | British victory |
Did Churchill sink French ships?
Hitler’s concerns were not known to Britain. However, on July 1, Churchill was finally able to get the backing of the War Cabinet to sink the ships if they would not be surrendered. In less than ten minutes, 1,297 French soldiers were dead, and 3 capital ships along with 1 destroyer were damaged or destroyed.
Why did Churchill destroy the French fleet?
It was a situation that Churchill and his ministers could not permit, so it was decided that the French Fleet must be put permanently out of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s reach. The prime minister noted that the German government had “solemnly declared” that it had no intention of using the French vessels.
Could Admiral Gensoul have averted the tragedy of Mers El Kébir?
The career of French Admiral Marcel Gensoul collapsed in the virtual destruction by the Royal Navy of the fleet under his command at Mers el-Kébir, near Oran, Algeria, on 3 July 1940. He left his defense to others, preferring not to reopen the old Franco-British wound resulting from the events of 3 July 1940.
Why did the French navy stop fighting in ww2?
Paris did have another option in 1940. France surrendered to the Nazis in 1940 for complex reasons. Instead of fleeing the country and keeping up the fight, as the Dutch government and a residue of the French military did, the bulk of the French government and military hierarchy made peace with the Germans.
What happened to the Italian fleet in ww2?
The fleet and its flagship, Roma, would end up surrendering to the Allies. Key point: These warships were decent but they ended up leaving the Axis cause. In fact, Hitler tried to sink them but failed.
Why didn’t the French fleet join the British?
Churchill made the decision to forcibly capture/destroy the French Navy so that the ships could not be used in an attack against Great Britain. Additionally, such a forward action by the British showed Roosevelt that the British wouldn’t roll over like the French, and were going to fight until the end.
What was Churchill’s dilemma?
Reflecting on World War II, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill observed that the greatest challenge was to fight the fascists without deploying the tools of the fascist state. This was Churchill’s dilemma. This is a particular burden of obligation borne by liberal societies.
Did France pull out of NATO?
First, even in 1966, after then French president Charles de Gaulle announced that he was pulling out of NATO’s military structure, he did not take his country entirely out of it. France may not quit NATO right now. But France has made more European countries see how it is treated by the US.
How powerful is the Italian Navy?
The Marina Militare is considered the sixth strongest navy of the world. The Italian Navy was founded in the year 1861 and always had powerful fighting warships. To contribute to the protection and safeguarding of national interests, the Navy operates on four “functional domains”.
How big was the Italian Navy in World War II?
Mussolini was determined to increase the size of the Italian Navy so that it could compete with the French Navy in the Mediterranean. By 1940 the Italian Navy had four battleships, seven heavy cruisers, 14 light cruisers, 119 submarines and 120 destroyers.