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warspite1 -> RE: A few questions about the rules (7/13/2009 9:39:21 PM)
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ORIGINAL: Greywolf
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ORIGINAL: Mike Parker
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ORIGINAL: gogol1st
but i still find some weird things. For example, it seems that you can never attack ships in port with ships ?
The first two were attempts to prevent fleet units being reflagged as German. The last I include for completeness, it was an unfinished vessel used as a gun platform.
In due respect for the hundreds of french sailors killed in thoses unwarranted attacks by an ex ally, I wanted to point out thoses ships weren't in the process of getting under german nor italian control but were under neutral french control in mediterranean french controlled ports, out of German reach.
That is the very Catapult operation that enforce the regrouping of the french navy in metropolitan ports and its later scuttling when the german try to overrun it to prevent its escape.
The very events at Oran, Alexandria and later Toulon are proofs enough that the french navy weren't going to take part into WWII after 1940, was it against its former allies nor in violation of the Armistice France sign with the Axis. Please respect thoses peoples that dies uselessly to protect their honor, that's all they deserve.
Warspite1
I think "The very events at Oran, Alexandria and later Toulon are proofs enough that the french navy weren't going to take part into WWII after 1940" is a very easy thing to say with the benefit of hindsight. The British in 1940 did not have that hindsight on their side. Given how close the Mediterranean war ended up being, I think - as terrible and as tragic as it was - the decision was the right one. As well as the Mediterranean, the British did not know that Spain would not enter the war on Germany`s side and take Gibraltar. If Gibraltar fell, then the Atlantic sealanes would be under intolerable pressure from the Italian, French and German ships.
Interestingly I saw a program the other day about the attack. Two French naval ratings - one, a survivor from Bretagne - were interviewed. One will never forgive the British for what they did that day. The other bears no ill feelings towards the British and realises that what happened was one of those things that happen in war.
Another point is that while yes, Admiral Somerville was most reluctant to give the order to fire and stopped the action at the earliest possible moment, the other thing to remember is that the decision did not come easy to Churchill who was a great francophile at heart.
I think the decision was less mis-trust of French - and particularly Admiral Darlan`s intentions - but more to do with the realisation that if the Germans wanted the ships, they would do whatever it took and the fact was the French could not guarantee that the ships would not fall into French hands.
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