Why did the British Royal Navy attack their own French allies in 1940?
In short: Operation Catapult remains one of the most controversial moments of the Second World War. This video examines the intense naval bombardment of the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir, a decision Winston Churchill famously described as the most hateful of his career.
On July 3, 1940, at 5:57 P.M., the British Royal Navy launched a surprise attack on the French fleet anchored at Mers-el-Kébir in French Algeria. The bombardment lasted only 10 minutes, yet it resulted in the destruction of one major warship and severe damage to five others. The engagement left 1,297 French sailors dead and 350 wounded.
This event marked the first direct combat between Britain and France since the Napoleonic Wars. The video explores the strategic context behind this desperate action, which Winston Churchill later identified as the most hateful decision he ever had to make during the war.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: "The Most Hateful Decision" of WWII
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