What Was The Last Day Of Operation Catapult

After the fall of France on June 17, 1940, British forces knew that they stood alone against the Germans. The British government was certain that Germany’s next move would be against the United Kingdom, and they knew that they had to create a plan to prevent it. The British knew these rumors were true when they intercepted German radio transmissions that made it clear that they were invading Britain. Britain had been preparing for an attack from the Germans for a very long period of time. Ship loads of ammunition, aircraft, and guns were being brought from the United States due to the Lend-Lease Act. This was very dangerous for Britain, because there was the constant threat of attack from German submarines out on the water. British forces relied on air and naval defense against Germany, as they knew they had no chance on land due to Germany’s large army.
Operation Catapult
After France signed an armistice to get out of World War II, Britain knew that Germany would try to take over the French navy. To prevent this, Britain launched what they called Operation Catapult. Britain would send troops to Algeria, which is where much of the French navy fled and give them choices on what they could do. The French could sail straight for Britain and join in the fight against
The Germans plan began with different bomber attacks against British ships in the English Channel. The first German bomber attack took place on July 10, 1940. Ironically, on July 19, 1940, Hitler gave a speech about gaining peace with Britain to buy himself more time, but the British didn’t fall for it. Attacks continued in the Channel into August of 1940, due to the Royal Air Forces lack of help. The British Air Force wanted to wait until the Germans got closer, but they never did. The British ships suffered heavy damage in the Channel, but the Royal Air Force was able to save planes and ammunition for the coming