What if Darlan orders French ships to leave British ports?
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What if Darlan orders French ships to leave British ports?
I have very little information about the French Fleet between 22nd June 1940 and 3rd July 1940, so I am posting this in the hope that someone else knows something. My question is what if Darlan had ordered any ships in British controlled ports on the 22nd June to sail to French controlled or neutral ports as soon as possible. OTL Darlan probably saw no need to do this because he may not have been hostile to Britain before 3rd July and the threat of handing over the French Fleet to Britain was one of the few cards that France held over Germany. In any case, many of the ships in British ports were not in any condition to go to sea. However, had Darlan sent such an order it would have placed the British in a difficult position as action against the French ships would have made a surprise attack on other ship much more difficult. There was also a further problem in the 22nd to 25th June period as some RN ships may have been in French controlled ports although I am not sure, for example, when Hermes left Dakar.
Re: What if Darlan orders French ships to leave British ports?
If the British thought the French ships were leaving as part of the armistice of June 22 and really under German direction through French command the British would have seized them.
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