Episode 35-The question of the French Fleet.

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[9] Hello, and thank you for listening to The History of World War II, Episode 35, Sundering.

[10] The German Franco armistice was signed.

[11] Germany could now focus on Great Britain, and the French could focus on rebuilding France.

[12] On the continent, the war was over, but it was immediately replaced by another war.

[13] This one of words.

[14] The antagonists, the former allies.

[15] And it started the very night of the armistice.

[16] The French people, especially those on the roads running away from the Germans, were, understandably, the most relieved.

[17] But Churchill and de Gaulle only felt rage.

[18] They both vented that night over the airwaves.

[19] De Gaulle's message would soon become his mantra.

[20] This war is not lost.

[21] It is not a Franco -German war that can be decided by a single battle.

[22] It is a world war.

[23] He compared the armistice with enslavement.

[24] then finished by asking his countrymen again to join him.

[25] Churchill was equally angry as well, but also in shock.

[26] He spoke for his government when he said, It could not believe that these conditions would be accepted by any French government in possession of its freedom, its independence, and its constitutional authority.

[27] A victory of Great Britain constitutes the only hope for a restoration of the grandeur of France and the freedom.

[28] of her people.

[29] Pétain and his cabinet felt the same relief their people felt, but his peace of mind was disturbed by the Prime Minister's words.

[30] So, the next day, June 23rd, Pétain retorted over the airwaves, M. Churchill is the judge of the interests of his own country, but not of ours.

[31] He is still less the judge of French honor.

[32] As far as the Bordeaux government was concerned, French honor had been satisfied.

[33] But that very morning of the 23rd, Pierre Laval officially became a part of the cabinet, and his agenda had nothing to do with honor.

[34] Later that day, Pétain put out another statement, but this one, probably inspired by Laval and his soon -to -be partner in remaking France, Albert, was combative.

[35] Pétain said, The French will be saved by their own efforts.

[36] M. Churchill should know this.

[37] He should know that the French are showing more grandeur by admitting defeat.

[38] than in trying to avoid it, by vain and illusory efforts.

[39] Laval, although new to his post, wasted no time while in cabinet sessions, expressing his desire for a complete break with Britain, and for recalling the French ambassador.

[40] Of course, Albert supported him.

[41] But the situation worked itself out when the French ambassador simply retired, and the Bataan government made no move to replace him.

[42] Laval and Albert had gotten their way.

[43] The French government was making it clear that they didn't need the British or U .S. to free them.

[44] They were free, more or less.

[45] Their trial had passed.

[46] They assumed that Britain would be looking after their own laurels.

[47] Badeau also threw in his might by repeating the lie that Churchill said he would understand if France had to make a separate peace.

[48] But more importantly, Badeau claimed, correctly, for the most part, that the French people supported the armistice.

[49] The Prime Minister speaks as though he considers that the present government of France does not represent public opinion.

[50] The Prime Minister is wrong.

[51] But the most hurtful verbal shot at Churchill came from the former French Premier, Paul Renaud.

[52] He gave a message to Badeau to forward to the British leader.

[53] The stipulations of the Armistice Accord on this subject are of a nature, I admit, to disquiet you.

[54] But I have just questioned Admiral Darlan in the presence of the Marshal about it.

[55] Darlan assures me that dispositions will be taken so that in no case can the enemy use our fleet against England contrary to the engagements taken by him.

[56] So that must reassure you on this point.

[57] End quote.

[58] Or, in other words, Renaud was now on Patin's side and asking Churchill to trust Darlan and Germany about the Navy and to please stop criticizing France for leaving you alone to take on our former common enemy.

[59] This was, in all truth, the only unifying idea in France at the moment.

[60] Vegard, the general who was becoming a politician, spoke for everyone when he said that the armistice was the only way to go.

[61] If we did not sign, there would have been no mercy from Germany.

[62] The entire country would have been occupied, and we all prisoners.

[63] But now, we have land and a government.

[64] While all this was going on, the French armistice delegation was driven to Paris that early afternoon, herded onto a plane, and taken to Rome to sign another armistice agreement with Italy.

[65] The heated exchanges continued on through June 24th, but Delon, for all his hatred of the British, did not trust the Germans either.

[66] That morning, he sent out his last coded message to all French warships.

[67] Quote, secret precautions for scuttling must be taken in case the enemy or the ex -ally tries to take over a ship and use it.

[68] Without a new order, all ships must sail to the U .S. or scuttle themselves.

[69] In no case must they be left intact for the enemy, end quote.

[70] An edited version of this was sent to the British Admiralty the next day.

[71] The term ex -ally was left out, as well as the other part about the order to remove all British personnel from French ships.

[72] De Gaulle used his daily radio broadcast of June 24th to vent his frustration, embarrassment of the fearful French fighting man, and frankly, his loneliness while in London.

[73] Quote, I will say this evening, simply because someone has to say it, what shame, what revolt rises in the hearts of decent Frenchmen.

[74] France and the French have been delivered hand and foot to the enemy.

[75] Unquote.

[76] To prove his point, even the French troops taken from Dunkirk just wanted to go home, divided though it now was.

[77] But de Gaulle's time was coming.

[78] His constant message of resistance would soon start to pay off.

[79] Hitler must have enjoyed watching the former allies tearing at each other.

[80] Meanwhile, in Rome, the chagrined Duce gave up his grandiose dreams of an empire, at least for now, and in France's direction.

[81] He understood his place in Hitler's world.

[82] He wrote to the Reich Chancellor two days before the Franco -Italian armistice was signed the following.

[83] In order to facilitate the acceptance of the armistice by the French, I have not included the occupation of the left side of the Rhone, or of Corsica, Tunis, and Djibouti, as we had intended in Munich.

[84] I have limited myself to a minimum, a demilitarized zone of 50 kilometers.

[85] For the rest, I have used the clauses of the German armistice.

[86] So without gaining a single material advantage, except to keep the French soldiers a little further away from this country, Il Duce had his son -in -law and foreign minister sign the armistice with France at 6 .35 p .m. that day of June 24th.

[87] And so, six hours after the signing, at 35 minutes past midnight, in the first hour of June 25th, the armistice started and all the guns stopped.

[88] In the 46 days of battle, about 84 ,000 French soldiers were killed, 120 ,000 wounded, and 1 .5 million made prisoners.

[89] The majority of the last category had occurred only in the last few days.

[90] This, of course, was due to Pétain's radio message about ending French resistance.

[91] As a point for comparison, about 1 .5 million Frenchmen died in World War I. Hitler had brilliantly used the armistice to have the former allies at each other's throats, but now he wanted them eager to spit on each other's grave.

[92] On June 25th, Germany made it clear to France that they had to impose tough conditions on them because Britain would not make peace with Germany.

[93] So, Germany, in order to defend itself from Britain, had to hold the French coast along the Channel and the Atlantic.

[94] France, in its current mental and emotional state, could be forgiven for believing this propaganda.

[95] It certainly didn't help.

[96] When that same day, Churchill, who was not one to back down from a fight, gave a long speech in the House of Commons.

[97] His tirade most assuredly did not help the French think any clearer.

[98] Churchill spoke of his compassion for the French people, but also his anger at the Bordeaux government.

[99] He went on to openly talk of and explain away Bordeaux's lie.

[100] But really, all he cared about at this point was the damned French fleet.

[101] Quote, Of course, by now, the Americans share the British Prime Minister's feelings of hopelessness.

[102] The charge d 'affaires Biddle wrote to Washington, quote, As to the fleet, I am frankly anxious, but Doe said the Germans had agreed to permit French maintenance of crews and withdrawal of the fleet to African ports.

[103] I pinned him down, however, to the fact that the fleet is first to return to the ports in metropolitan France for disarmament under German control.

[104] While he insisted that in case of a last -minute German treachery, the ships would be sunk, the value of such a last -minute safeguard seems pitifully small.

[105] By June 25th, the Pétain government was only growing more frustrated with a Britain that could not or would not see the truth concerning France's improved situation.

[106] Pétain sent out the following broadcast, though it's impossible to know the real author.

[107] At least our honor is safe.

[108] No one will make use of our planes and our fleet.

[109] The government remains free.

[110] France will be administered only.

[111] But this truth from a certain point of view was simply too much for de Gaulle.

[112] Before Churchill could reply, the leader of the French resistance retorted, You were led to believe, Maréchal, that an armistice would be honorable.

[113] This armistice is dishonorable.

[114] Two -thirds of our territory occupied by the enemy.

[115] And what an enemy!

[116] Our entire army demobilized, our officers and men prisoners, our fleet, our planes, our tanks, our arms, handed over intact so that the enemy may use them against our own allies.

[117] The country, the government, you yourself, reduced to servitude.

[118] But that day of the 25th, the Pétain government had more to contend with than just de Gaulle's impertinence.

[119] The day was proclaimed as a day to mourn the dead in France.

[120] the death of France as the people knew it.

[121] The leaders, led by Baton, held a solemn ceremony at the Cathedral of Saint -Andre, or for Americans, Saint -Andre.

[122] Renaud joined them as the archbishop told the French people of the new order that was now needed.

[123] The new France would be not only more just, but more sane and orderly than the atheistic republic that had allowed this calamity to happen.

[124] The Republic's sinful ways was why they were paying this horrible price.

[125] So Patin made announcements, Laval planned for France's future, and Vegard stepped into politics and wrote what he saw as the blueprint for the new France.

[126] Amazingly, the sum total of their visions was not unlike passages from Mein Kampf.

[127] Welcome to True Spies.

[128] The podcast that takes you deep inside the greatest secret missions of all time.

[129] Suddenly out of the dark it's appeared in lab.

[130] You'll meet the people who live life undercover.

[131] What do they know?

[132] What are their skills?

[133] And what would you do in their position?

[134] Vengeance felt good.

[135] Seeing these people pay for what they'd done felt righteous.

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[137] Wherever you get your podcasts.

[138] Levin was ready to move on his bold plan for this new France.

[139] On June 26, he told Bordeaux that, with France's unique situation, Bétain should be given exceptional constitutional powers.

[140] Others in the cabinet said that this was going too far, and they put forward their own ideas, but really, all the suggestions ended up in the same place.

[141] Bétain, the individual, would be given lawmaking powers, and Parliament would officially go on vacation.

[142] Or take a break.

[143] Either way, it would be a risk that they would not come back from.

[144] But what no one in France knew was that Laval's unpopular plan was about to get help from the British.

[145] Churchill and his war cabinet had decided on June 27th that they could no longer wait and sit by while the French fleet was slowly, exorably, finding its way into German hands, still intact.

[146] They resolved to save themselves by solving this problem by themselves.

[147] The decision was made to seize, control, disable, or destroy every part of the French fleet they could get access to.

[148] It was to be called Operation Catapult, and it would be carried out July 3rd.

[149] The non -combat articles of the German Franco Armistice started taking effect on June 29th, as the German troops moved into Bordeaux.

[150] and the French government moved out.

[151] To their way of thinking, a new but temporary capital had to be selected in the unoccupied zone.

[152] So the government moved to Clermont -Ferrand, Laval's personal fiefdom.

[153] He owned many businesses there, and it was there that he had become a millionaire from a penniless politician.

[154] The Third Republic was dying.

[155] Laval was even more secure within the cabinet now, although the other members despised him.

[156] Béton told the others that he wanted the ambitious socialist where he could be watched.

[157] But it's very easy to believe that Béton wanted this man where he would do Béton the most good.

[158] Of course, Laval's goals put him on a collision course with the foreign minister, Badeau.

[159] On the last day of June, an informal meeting was held in Béton's office.

[160] Informal though it was, it held grave consequences for France and the world.

[161] Laval used their fear of Germany, or rather, of Hitler, to push the cabinet towards his goal of a national socialist state for France.

[162] He declared, as if it were common knowledge, that Hitler would never accept a republic as a neighbor, and that France needed a strong leader to deal with the Reich Chancellor.

[163] He urged Pétain to convoke the National Assembly, which was the two chambers currently sitting as one, and get them to give their powers to the Marshal.

[164] Badeau tried to deflect this course as unlikely, since a majority of the parliamentarians would not voluntarily commit political suicide.

[165] Pétain was not warm to this idea, or pretended not to be.

[166] Besides, he said, President Lebrun would never go for it.

[167] But Laval would not be gainsaid in his angry revenge on the Republic.

[168] He stood up and declared he would get the permission of the president right now.

[169] Instead of saying, sit down, or...

[170] Dismissing the radical cabinet member, Bétain said, All right, go ahead and try.

[171] Leval left, but Bétain went with him, supposedly because he distrusted this new minister.

[172] Soon afterwards, as Leval talked, or rather verbally assaulted the president, Bétain sat there and said nothing.

[173] Lebrun looked to Bétain for help, but the man who would benefit greatly, if this worked, would not return his gaze.

[174] Did Pétain know this would happen?

[175] Did he think that Lebrun would think his silent attendance would be construed as his support for Laval?

[176] We will never know.

[177] He never admitted it.

[178] Lebrun, the wrong man in the wrong position at the wrong time for France, gave in and said, bring me something to sign.

[179] On July 1st, U .S. Ambassador Bullitt finally left Paris and caught up with the government.

[180] He, unfortunately, had accomplished very little in Paris and realized his mistake.

[181] Back in the midst of the French leaders, he was able to talk to several of them, get their pulse, and then filed a long, insightful message to Washington.

[182] It was probably the best, most accurate grasp of what was going on in Pétain's regime at the time.

[183] The impression which emerges from these conversations is the extraordinary one that the French leaders desire to cut loose from all that France has represented during the last two generations, that their physical and moral defeat has been so absolute that they have accepted completely for France the fate of becoming a province of Nazi Germany.

[184] Moreover, in order that they have as many companions in misery as possible, They hope that England will be rapidly and completely defeated by Germany.

[185] Their hope is that France may become Germany's favorite province.

[186] Bullard then told of his impression of each official he met with.

[187] President Lebrun complained that the U .S. had done nothing to help France.

[188] The British ran away, but would be in the same boat as France soon enough.

[189] Bullard then talked to the Marshal and found Pétain more calm and dignified.

[190] but simultaneously defeatist and bitter against, not Germany, their conquerors, but Britain.

[191] However, according to Bétain, Britain was finished.

[192] It was just a matter of time.

[193] He knew that Germany would eventually reduce France to a province, but hopefully France would be their favorite and best treated.

[194] He then expressed resentment towards Churchill and de Gaulle.

[195] He finished by saying he would change France.

[196] He hated the Republic and the parliamentary process.

[197] Admiral Darlon was next.

[198] His bitterness poured out against, again, not Germany, but Britain.

[199] Bullitt summed him up by saying, quote, he felt absolutely certain that Great Britain would be completely conquered by Germany within five weeks, unless Britain should surrender sooner.

[200] It would be, in his opinion, entirely impossible for the British to send a single ship into the port of London or into the ports of Plymouth, Southampton.

[201] and Portsmouth, and he meant to bring in supplies.

[202] The Germans could take Ireland easily and close up the ports of Glasgow, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Bristol.

[203] Great Britain would die of asphyxiation even without a German invasion.

[204] Ambassador Bullitt, totally shocked, though he should not have been, asked the Admiral, did the thought make him happy?

[205] Darlan just smiled.

[206] But then Bullitt's interviewee said something of import.

[207] He said he would never send the fleet to Britain.

[208] He was certain they would never return it.

[209] Truly, it must have seemed like the land of Oz to the U .S. ambassador.

[210] Darlan ended their conversation by saying he also wanted to rid France of the Republic and its procedures.

[211] Bullitt did not see the new man, Laval, but ran into Camille Chautam, the vice premier, who knew he was on his way out.

[212] He guessed, correctly, that he was being shoved aside by Laval.

[213] and Pétain seemed okay with this.

[214] Then Chautampe said, or rather confirmed for Bullitt, that Pétain, Vegard, and Laval wanted a semi -dictatorial state.

[215] They reasoned amongst themselves, if they copied Hitler and his government, he might take it easy on them when peace was officially negotiated.

[216] Laval was moving forward with his plans for France, and seemed to have Pétain passively supporting him.

[217] But he did suffer one setback.

[218] although a minor one.

[219] Clermont -Fernand simply did not have the facilities or abundance of electricity needed for a capital.

[220] So, on the first day of July, the French government found themselves on the move again.

[221] But this time, they chose wisely.

[222] Vichy had huge tourist hotels and adequate accommodations.

[223] It was more worthy of being the new capital of this new France that would soon host the convocation of the National Assembly.

[224] The French leaders who wanted to keep France in the war were still being detained and watched in North Africa.

[225] The British government had heard of their location and wanted to help them.

[226] Maybe the French there would, with enough encouragement and material help, set up their own government and continue the fight.

[227] But the local French officials, taking their orders from Vegard, chased away Lord Gort and a former British cabinet member.

[228] Vegard found he needed to keep a close eye on North Africa.

[229] The commanding officer there, General Norghese, had to be dealt with a few days ago by Vega, as he assured the new government that North Africa had the means to carry on the war.

[230] Vega and the others did not want this kind of talk getting around, as it might upset the armistice talks.

[231] Vega intercepted Norghese's report to the cabinet and had him transferred to Morocco as a new resident general.

[232] To finish the stories of the resistors here, they had by now been called traitors by the Bordeaux radio.

[233] But after the armistice was signed, they accepted the inevitable and desperately wanted to come home and participate in the convocation of the National Assembly set for July 10th.

[234] But the Pétan government was not going to let that happen.

[235] Instead, they were held in Africa and only released after the assembly finished.

[236] Then they were allowed to come home.

[237] but had to suffer house arrest for several weeks and then freed.

[238] That is, all but the Jewish members.

[239] Mandel, his story already told here, would be handed over to Germany and then returned to Baton's people and killed in 1944.

[240] The other less well -known Jews were given long prison sentences.

[241] The anti -Semitism of this new France was only getting started.

[242] The Vichy government, as it would be known, was run by four men.

[243] Pétain, Végan, Darlon, and Laval, the last one being the most active, cunning, and deceitful.

[244] The moment he arrived at Vichy, he set about getting Parliament to vote themselves out of office while giving their powers to the Marshal.

[245] July 3rd Back on July 1st, at 2 .25 a .m., Churchill had the order sent out.

[246] All ships were to be prepared to launch Operation Catapult on July 3rd.

[247] If this worked, Britain could maintain its priceless lifeline to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, as well as protect the home island.

[248] Because of the quick German advance during the Battle of France, many French ships had sailed for British ports, and they were still there, although they had received numerous orders from Darlan to leave.

[249] The British, who initially had invited the men, watched the political and military situation rapidly change on the continent.

[250] were now unwilling to let the French ships leave.

[251] To help grasp the sheer tonnage of French naval firepower the British ports were currently hosting and what the British feared falling into German and Italian hands, here is a partial list.

[252] Currently stationed at Plymouth and Portsmouth were two battleships, four light cruisers, eight destroyers, several submarines, one of them the world's largest, plus 200 other smaller craft.

[253] At the naval base at Alexandria, Egypt, the French had one battleship, four cruisers, three destroyers, one sub, and again, numerous smaller ships.

[254] The French Atlantic fleet had moved from the Brittany coast to Iran in North Africa, and the adjacent naval base at Meir's El Kabir.

[255] That station held two battleships, two modern battlecruisers, four light cruisers, several destroyers, and other craft.

[256] and nearby Oran were an additional seven cruisers.

[257] Before the morning light of July 3rd broke over the horizon of London, Churchill's orders were carried out relentlessly.

[258] However, fortunately at Plymouth and Portsmouth, the operation was relatively smooth.

[259] The ranking French admiral had an idea that something was up, but was still caught by surprise.

[260] At 3 .45 a .m., British armed patrols boarded the major ships.

[261] overpowered each watch and put the ship's crews on shore.

[262] But on the giant submarine Sercouf, there was a short fight that resulted in each side losing one man and an additional three British soldiers were wounded.

[263] One hour after the operation started, all the French ships in the British Isles were under control.

[264] All total, about 20 ,000 French sailors had been removed from their warships.

[265] They would be held for a short time.

[266] and then allowed to go home or join de Gaulle.

[267] But de Gaulle's determination to fight on was not shared by the majority of the men who were so easily taken over by the British.

[268] About 900 joined de Gaulle, and about 19 ,000 went home.

[269] There was simply no more fight in them.

[270] But this exercise alone proved Churchill's worry over the Germans launching their own successful move to take the French ships once back in port.

[271] At Alexandria, Egypt, mutual respect and a mutual distaste at the idea of firing point -blank at a former ally saved the day and many lives.

[272] Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham and French Admiral Godefroy both refused to carry out their orders to the letter.

[273] Godefroy could tell Cunningham was doing his duty that he personally found distasteful.

[274] Cunningham sent a message to Godefroy, We do not want to sink your ships.

[275] Why sacrifice uselessly lives in fighting?

[276] Our regrets for what has happened are as genuine as yours.

[277] Cunningham then asked Godefroy to only discharge their fuel so they could not make for the open water and to disarm their guns.

[278] They talked throughout the day and at night, but both kept calm heads.

[279] Godefroy agreed the next morning, and Cunningham promised the crew repatriation to France.

[280] Along the French Algerian coast, at Males -el -Kabir, there was not mutual respect or calm heads.

[281] There was instead treachery and death.

[282] The British ships came over the horizon at 9 a .m. towards the French base.

[283] In charge of the British Force H was Vice Admiral Sir James Somerville.

[284] His battle group consisted of the Battlecruiser Hood, battleships Valiant and Resolution, the aircraft carrier Arc Royal, Two cruisers and 11 destroyers.

[285] Admiral Jeansoul, the French commander, could not believe the British would fire on him, but he was determined to defend himself.

[286] Admiral Darlan had already ordered him not to treat with the British.

[287] So when Captain Holland of the destroyer Foxhound asked to talk, he was refused.

[288] So Holland had the ultimatum written by Churchill sent to Jeansoul.

[289] In part, it read, It is impossible for us.

[290] your comrades up till now, to allow your fine ships to fall into the power of the German or Italian enemy.

[291] This was followed by the three options for the French.

[292] 1.

[293] Sail with us and continue to fight for victory against the Germans and Italians.

[294] 2.

[295] Sail with reduced crews under our control to a British port.

[296] 3.

[297] Sail with us to some French port in the West Indies or perhaps to the U .S. So, General Jean Soule sent a message to the French Admiralty, describing his current situation and a copy of the ultimatum.

[298] However, inexplicably, and he would later be condemned by the Vichy government for this, he told his superiors the ultimatum read, quote, Sink your ships within six hours, or we shall use force to make you, unquote.

[299] Not knowing there were other options, the French Admiralty assumed the worst.

[300] and prepared themselves for battle.

[301] Jeansoul later said he rejected the demands because it would break the armistice with Germany.

[302] France, in the form of Bétain's regime, was more concerned about keeping their word with Germany than with their previous word with the British.

[303] Strangely, at no time did Jeansoul think about going to the West Indies and saving his ships for the future.

[304] So he replied to Captain Holland that France had already promised the British that the French fleet would not be turned over.

[305] Therefore, they could not accept the ultimatum, and he would reply to force by force.

[306] He then told the ships to be ready for action.

[307] But, luckily for the British, the French ships were not positioned for combat.

[308] They were lined along a mole, and their guns faced the shore.

[309] Also, Jean Soule had already started disarming their guns, per Dolan's orders.

[310] And here's where things really lose touch with reality, or common sense.

[311] Jean Soule, instead of being honest with the British about his ship's current state, and that he was practically complying with their desires, got his men working on raiding his ship for battle.

[312] He then stalled for time, as he did not hear from the French Admiralty for hours.

[313] but he knew that there were French planes and ships nearby.

[314] Finally, Jean Soule heard from the Admiralty.

[315] Help was being called on, and the Germans were being told of what was happening, in case they wanted to help.

[316] The French also said in their communications that they hoped the Germans would not get upset by the French using their navy against the British.

[317] The Germans would have been delighted.

[318] While waiting for help from either fellow Frenchmen or the Germans or Italians, Jeansoul kept playing for time.

[319] At 2 .30 p .m., he invited Holland to come to his flagship, the Dunkirk, for a parley.

[320] They argued in the captain's cabin, but of course, no progress was made.

[321] Frustrated, Captain Holland was leaving when Jeansoul received a message from the Hood, Holland's ship.

[322] Quote, If one of our propositions is not accepted by 5 .30 p .m., British summertime, I shall have to sink your ships, end quote.

[323] British summertime was one hour ahead of French time.

[324] Churchill had been reading the messages coming and going to the Hood from Jean Soule, and knew only a direct order would get the results he needed.

[325] He understood their pain, but issued the order.

[326] At 6 .26 p .m., the following message was sent to the Hood, quote, French ships must comply with our terms or sink themselves, or be sunk by you.

[327] before dark, end quote.

[328] But Admiral Somerville knew his duty.

[329] At 5 .45 p .m., or 41 minutes before Churchill sent his stern message, the British fleet, which had already used its destroyers to spread a smokescreen, opened fire against the unprepared French ships.

[330] Planes from the Ark Royal joined in, and within a quarter of an hour, the battle was over.

[331] The battleship Brittany was sunk.

[332] The battleship Provence and battlecruiser Dunkirk were severely damaged and beached.

[333] The battlecruiser Strasbourg limped away, crippled.

[334] The British suffered but little in matters of death and damage.

[335] However, the French losses, besides the three capital ships mentioned and numerous smaller craft lost, were French casualties numbering 1 ,297.

[336] There were also 341 French sailors wounded.

[337] By the end of the day, the British had confiscated or destroyed the bulk of the French fleet.

[338] The salvation of their home island was now hopefully possible.

[339] Next time, certain members of the Béton government would demand war against Britain.

[340] The French people were now even more behind Béton and willing to give him anything he asked, and Laval would reap the rewards.

[341] De Gaulle would prove his leadership.

[342] by proclaiming the necessity of the attack, although it made him sick at heart.

[343] And Hitler, who was so sure the British would soon be asking for peace, had ordered no war plans to be drawn up against his one remaining enemy.

[344] Greetings from Central Virginia.

[345] So, if you think subscribing to my podcast is hard, try living with me when my website and iTunes crashes.

[346] Seriously, for those of you who are patient, kind, and understanding, thank you.

[347] For those of you who are not patient, kind, and understanding, I totally understand and I apologize.

[348] But I really want to say that I'm sorry for those of you who wrote reviews on iTunes.

[349] I tried to get their help, but all I got was, check out our forum's FAQs, and that didn't do much, so they were all lost.

[350] So if you care to repost your review, not that you remember what you wrote all that time ago, I would be grateful.

[351] But if you don't, I understand.

[352] So with all that said, pushing the boundary of cheekiness, I would like to ask you to consider nominating this podcast for the 2011 Podcast Awards coming up soon.

[353] The deadline is September 30th.

[354] Yeah, I know that's close.

[355] But you can do it at Blueberry .com.

[356] B -L -U -B -R -R -Y dot com.

[357] I went ahead and nominated the podcast myself, and I put it in the education category, but I could probably use more nominations, which means I will be crushed by Mike Duncan's History of Rome.

[358] But that's okay.

[359] His is truly the gold standard of podcasting.

[360] I just want to be a part of the parade along for the ride.

[361] So please nominate me if you find the time, and you're not mad at me anymore, and you think this podcast is worthy of it, when it's up and running.

[362] So the last time I covered the five republics of France, and this time I promised I would do the three Reich of Germany.

[363] So the first Reich, which was also known as the Holy Roman Empire, which started in the lands ruled by Charlemagne, which were Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, the Czech Republic, eastern France, northern Italy, and western Poland.

[364] And it ran from 962 to 1806.

[365] And, of course, there was a lot of give and take and a lot of loose confederation, things like that, but that's generally the time period for the First Reich.

[366] The Second Reich, and Reich means realm or empire, was under the Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, and it was in 1871 when he united Germany.

[367] through the Franco -Prussian War.

[368] And that went from 1871 to 1919.

[369] Of course, it fell after they lost World War I. The Third Reich, obviously, that we're studying, was 1933 to 1945, and it was called Nazi Germany.

[370] Some say it started in 1919, but it's probably more accurate to say that from 1919 to 1933 was the pre -Third Reich time period.

[371] And I just found out that I'm banned or this podcast is banned in China.

[372] Not that I think that they've actually listened to an episode.

[373] I think they saw the title and went, we really don't want to deal with that.

[374] And they just banned me, which is fine.

[375] I wasn't looking for a big audience there anyway.

[376] But I just thought I'd pass that along to you.

[377] And given all my technological mistakes and stupidity, I hope you don't ban me. That's all that matters.

[378] Thanks for listening.

[379] Don't forget to check out joeyers .com and the worldwar2podcast .net domain will be working soon.

[380] But you can always go to iTunes and click on the little website on my page and get to my website because I don't have the domain hooked up yet.

[381] And of course, please don't forget Audible.

[382] Take care, everyone.

[383] And again, I'm sorry for disappearing.

[384] Welcome to True Spies, the podcast that takes you deep inside the greatest secret missions of all time.

[385] Suddenly out of the dark it's appeared in love.

[386] You'll meet the people who live life undercover.

[387] What do they know?

[388] What are their skills?

[389] And what would you do in their position?

[390] Vengeance felt good.

[391] Seeing these people pay for what they'd done felt righteous.

[392] True Spies, from Spyscape Studios, wherever you get your podcasts.