Comments by "" (@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684) on "Mers-el-Kebir - Tragedy on a Grand Scale" video.

  1. "No French official was privy to the British plans" Below is the vebatim British ultimatum delivered to Adm Bruno-Marcel Gentoul at Mers-El-Kebir on the 3rd July 1940 "It is impossible for us, your comrades up to now, to allow your fine ships to fall into the power of the German or Italian enemy. We are determined to fight on until the end, and if we win, as we think we shall, we shall never forget that France was our Ally, that our interests are the same as hers, and that our common enemy is Germany. Should we conquer, we solemnly declare that we shall restore the greatness and territory of France. For this purpose, we must make sure that the best ships of the French Navy are not used against us by the common foe. In these circumstances, His Majesty’s Government have instructed me to demand that the French Fleet now at Mers-el-Kébir and Oran shall act in accordance with one of the following alternatives: (a) Sail with us and continue the fight until victory against the Germans and Italians. (b) Sail with reduced crews under our control to a British port. The reduced crews would be repatriated at the earliest moment. If either of these courses is adopted by you, we will restore your ships to France at the conclusion of the war or pay full compensation, if they are damaged meanwhile. (c) Alternatively, if you feel bound to stipulate that your ships should not be used against the Germans or Italians unless these break the Armistice, then sail them with us with reduced crews, to some French port in the West Indies—Martinique for instance—where they can be demilitarised to our satisfaction, or perhaps be entrusted to the United States and remain safe until the end of the war, the crews being repatriated. If you refuse these fair offers, I must, with profound regret, require you to sink your ships within 6 hours. Finally, failing the above I have orders of His Majesty's Government to use whatever force may be necessary to prevent your ships us from falling into German or Italian hands." Even I can follow the clearly laid out options available in the ultimatum.... surely a French Admiral (Even a pompous, inadequate one such as Gensoul) would if in any doubt immediately consult his superior (Darlan) with the FULL text of the ultimatum he's been handed. Instead the idiot Gensoul, promoted above his ability, pissed about at a CRUCIAL point in European history and caused the death of 1300 French sailors. He was SO ashamed and embarrased about his handling of the whole episode that he never wrote a postwar account of it, OR took part in any interviews regarding the tragedy, right up to his death in 1970.
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  2. Darlan was not available as he was "on his day off" and could not be reached by phone, the diplomacy was mishandled by Marcel-Bruno Gensoul, his deputy, and it was HIM who was responsible for the deaths of the French sailors, hence why he refused to talk or be interviewed about the incident until the day he died.
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  3. With the displays of US ignorance on most international historical matters in YT threads, is ANYTHING taught in US schools about non-US history?
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  4.  @bluedot6933  I've known of it since school in the 1970's / 80s, and while current generations are intentionally being kept ignorant of their national histories (apart from the lefty agenda laden subjects) older generations of Europeans are known to have a far better awareness of WW2, having either lived through, or had relatives who served through the conflict.
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