What was Churchill's "darkest decision?" Attacking the French fleet in the Mediterranean!
In just ten minutes 1,300 Frenchmen were killed, and thousands more were left for dead.
Churchill had to show that Britain would do anything to survive. On the 10th of May, 1940 when Germany invaded France, Holland and Belgium simultaneously, Churchill became Prime Minister of England. There was a presidential election due in November and Roosevelt was campaigning on avoiding entanglements. Churchill asked Roosevelt to loan him 50 destroyers. Two days later Churchill got Roosevelt's reply: no American warships. Hitler's troops had advanced deep into French territory. On May 20, German troops reached the English Channel. Churchill communicated again with Roosevelt, this time warning him that if the Germans get their hands on the world's largest naval fleet, then the United States has a problem!
Roosevelt met with a Canadian diplomat and advised that they should give up on Britain and look to their own defense. Canada's Prime Minister cabled Churchill, explaining Roosevelt's bleak view of British prospects. By June, 1940 France had been catastrophically defeated by the Nazis. The British troops evacuated Dunkirk. Mussolini entered the war on Hitler's side. The Germans entered Paris. Churchill realized that if the Nazis get their hands on the French fleet, their ability to threaten Britain's survival goes up exponentially.
The French government collapsed. Churchill knew the Admiral who led the French fleet. He asked him to bring the fleet to Britain. The fleet did not move. Hitler offered his Armistice to France, which included bringimg the French fleet back to France under German supervision. The French government agreed!
Churchill came up with Operation Catapult. On July 3, 1940 Churchill launched a global operation to seize the French navy. Watch this superb video to see what happens next, and how Churchill convinced Roosevelt that he had the guts not to give up.
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