In 1940, with the evacuation of British and French troops from Dunkirk, ten days after Churchill assumed office, Britain seemed on its last legs.
The next step would be a cross-channel invasion of the British Isles by the most greatest army in history. The British fleet was the most powerful in the world but the ships were scattered and couldn't be assembled. The second most powerful fleet in Europe was the French, mostly at harbor near Oran in North Africa. The French also had ships docked in England and at Alexandria, Egypt. It was a strong naval presence -- battleships, an aircraft carrier, and the biggest submarine in the world.
When the French government collapsed and Franced occupied by the Nazis there was the distinct danger that the whole of the French fleet would fall into German hands and support an invasion of Britain. Churchill appealed to President Roosevelt for help but none was forthcoming because of American anti-war sentiment and because Roosevelt apparently doubted Churchill's resolve. The commander of the French Navy was Admiral Darlan, a friend of Churchill's, who promised that the fleet would never be turned over to the Nazis. Did Churchill put trust in his friend's words? Not enough.
There is no space to describe the negotiations, intrigues, and misunderstandings that served as a prelude to the battle. Churchill didn't take his friend's word for it. He sent a fleet from Gibralter to the harbor at Oran to deliver an ultimatum: six hours to decide whether to (1) sail out and join the Brits, (2) leave European waters, or (3) scuttle the ships. The deadline arrived with no negotiated results. The French admiral was incensed. Two weeks earlier, Britain and France had fought side by side against the Nazis, and now there was an ultimatum.
The French began raising steam and the Brits, seeing the activity and noting the passing of the deadline, opened fire. "It was like sitting ducks." Much of the French fleet was destroyed after ten minutes and 1,300 French sailors died. French ships at English ports were boarded and seized with loss of life, the first between France and England since Waterloo.
The harbor at Oran was littered with flotsam and dead bodies. The French were outraged, the Brits filled with chagrin, and Churchill was devastated, never having expected such bloodshed. Goebbels turned the act into propaganda. The French talked about declaring war on England. But one of Churchill's political ends had been realized. Roosevelt had been convinced that Britain wouldn't fold and sent fifty old destroyers to her aid, to be followed by a stream of supplies.
The irony is that the whole thing may have been unnecessary. Admiral Darlan, who had promised that French ships would never be turned over, had earlier issued secret orders that if the Nazis made any attempt to commandeer the French ships, they be destroyed. The Nazis made such an attempt in 1942 and Darlan's orders were followed. The remaining seventy ships of the French fleet were destroyed by their crews.
Some of the French survivors are still bitter at what they see as a betrayal, a war crime, an insane move. But, as another survivor puts it, "Have you ever seen an intelligent war?" This is a candid and even courageous documentary, technically well done, and dramatically presented. It's the kind of incident that we rarely hear about in documentaries about World War II. Yet it's the kind of incident that everyone should be more aware of because, after all, wars are not entirely made up of Midways and D-Day landings. A splendid job.
The next step would be a cross-channel invasion of the British Isles by the most greatest army in history. The British fleet was the most powerful in the world but the ships were scattered and couldn't be assembled. The second most powerful fleet in Europe was the French, mostly at harbor near Oran in North Africa. The French also had ships docked in England and at Alexandria, Egypt. It was a strong naval presence -- battleships, an aircraft carrier, and the biggest submarine in the world.
When the French government collapsed and Franced occupied by the Nazis there was the distinct danger that the whole of the French fleet would fall into German hands and support an invasion of Britain. Churchill appealed to President Roosevelt for help but none was forthcoming because of American anti-war sentiment and because Roosevelt apparently doubted Churchill's resolve. The commander of the French Navy was Admiral Darlan, a friend of Churchill's, who promised that the fleet would never be turned over to the Nazis. Did Churchill put trust in his friend's words? Not enough.
There is no space to describe the negotiations, intrigues, and misunderstandings that served as a prelude to the battle. Churchill didn't take his friend's word for it. He sent a fleet from Gibralter to the harbor at Oran to deliver an ultimatum: six hours to decide whether to (1) sail out and join the Brits, (2) leave European waters, or (3) scuttle the ships. The deadline arrived with no negotiated results. The French admiral was incensed. Two weeks earlier, Britain and France had fought side by side against the Nazis, and now there was an ultimatum.
The French began raising steam and the Brits, seeing the activity and noting the passing of the deadline, opened fire. "It was like sitting ducks." Much of the French fleet was destroyed after ten minutes and 1,300 French sailors died. French ships at English ports were boarded and seized with loss of life, the first between France and England since Waterloo.
The harbor at Oran was littered with flotsam and dead bodies. The French were outraged, the Brits filled with chagrin, and Churchill was devastated, never having expected such bloodshed. Goebbels turned the act into propaganda. The French talked about declaring war on England. But one of Churchill's political ends had been realized. Roosevelt had been convinced that Britain wouldn't fold and sent fifty old destroyers to her aid, to be followed by a stream of supplies.
The irony is that the whole thing may have been unnecessary. Admiral Darlan, who had promised that French ships would never be turned over, had earlier issued secret orders that if the Nazis made any attempt to commandeer the French ships, they be destroyed. The Nazis made such an attempt in 1942 and Darlan's orders were followed. The remaining seventy ships of the French fleet were destroyed by their crews.
Some of the French survivors are still bitter at what they see as a betrayal, a war crime, an insane move. But, as another survivor puts it, "Have you ever seen an intelligent war?" This is a candid and even courageous documentary, technically well done, and dramatically presented. It's the kind of incident that we rarely hear about in documentaries about World War II. Yet it's the kind of incident that everyone should be more aware of because, after all, wars are not entirely made up of Midways and D-Day landings. A splendid job.
