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I was watching a documentary recently, "Secrets of the Dead: Churchill's Deadly Decision", and it was about one of the toughest decisions a wartime leader could ever make. The documentary covered Winston Churchill's decision to sink the French fleet at Mers El Kébir, French Algeria, North Africa, near Oran in July of 1940, instead of taking even the slightest chance of the fleet falling into enemy/German hands. Even though he received assurances from the French Naval Commander, Admiral of the Fleet, Francois Darlan, that the French Navy would never allow the Nazis to lay hands on even one French vessel, The British Prime Minister could NOT take the risk. Churchill stated during a secret war cabinet meeting that he could not rely on the Admiral's word because the matter is so vital to the safety of the whole British Empire.As a result of this decision that weighed heavily on Churchill, he was physically sick upon hearing of the carnage at Mers El Kébir. However, it changed the worlds opinion of the United Kingdom overnight and demonstrated her resolve to continue the war alone. Most importantly, it changed the opinion of the United States President, Franklin D. Roosevelt and the American political class. Isolationists in America pulled their heads out of the sand long enough to say, "What was that?", and take notice that UK just might be able to stand up to Germany and therefore, justify our support.Just two months after the tragic attack on the French Fleet, FDR gave Churchill his ships. 50 WW I destroyers for starters. In addition, war material and supplies started flowing across the Atlantic to UK and helped change the tide of the war long enough, until America finally entered World War II in December of 1941. We became "An Arsenal of Freedom" because ONE leader had the intestinal fortitude to make an almost impossible decision. That of attacking a former ally (The French), to save his own nation.

Various British figures have expressed their regret that the attack was necessary. But no one disputes that it was necessary.Britain had been betrayed by France, who had made a binding treaty commitment not to negotiate a separate peace with Germany… and then negotiated a separate peace.Britain was fighting for its life almost alone against a Germany that controlled most of Europe.To have any chance of survival, it needed to keep the German fleet out of the Mediterranean, confine the Italian fleet to the Mediterranean and blockade the Vichy ports.It could not do that if the French fleet combined with the Italian and German one. If it did, the UK would lose the war and be invaded.The only thing stopping the Franco-Italian-German fleets from combining were ‘assurances’ from the French that they wouldn't let that happen.These assurances were worthless given that this was the same French politicians who had just proven how much their word was worth.Even more worryingly, the Franco-German armistice mandated the return of all the French Navy’s ships to France, where they could easily be seized by the Germans.The British had been trying to negotiate a solution for months, but the French would not agree to do anything but ‘assure’ us that they wouldn’t let the Germans have their ships.With the very survival of Britain at stake, that was totally inadequate.Even so, the French ships in the UK and the port of Alexandria were brought under British control without a battle.The French squadron at Mers-el-Kébir was given four options,Join the Royal NavySail to the UKSail to the French West Indies or the USAScuttle themselves.One of the options (sail to the West Indies/USA) had been authorised by the French high command.Despite this, the French admiral refused to do anything, at first refusing even to discuss the terms offered and then trying to stall.And so his fleet was sunk. Saving Britain.Churchill expressed his regret in strong terms: “This was the most hateful decision, the most unnatural and painful in which I have ever been concerned”.The comment discussion on this answer leads on to an interesting extension: “What then should the French have done in 1940 having been militarily defeated by Germany?”The answer is with hindsight obvious. It was also obvious to many at the time, although not to the traitor, Pétain [1].France should have fought on, forming a government-in-exile , in the way other countries like Poland, Holland, Czechoslovakia and Norway did.And remember, France was a far stronger country than the brave countries who refused to capitulate to Nazi tyranny.If the entire French government (rather than just De Gaulle) had escaped to the UK, or one of the French colonies, then its claim to be the legitimate government of France would have been indisputable, and whoever took de-facto control in France itself would have been no more than a Quisling.With that legitimacy, the French government-in-exile could have ordered the French Navy and the French Air Force to fight on from the colonies, where the Germans would not easily have been able to get at them (the Italian Navy being no match for a combined Franco-British force).In time they could have reconstituted the French Army, using whatever survivors could exfiltrate France as a cadre.All these forces would have been far more powerful than the ‘Free French’, who struggled precisely because their claim to legitimacy was not clear-cut. Much of the French effort in WW2 was spent fighting each other over who were the ‘true’ leaders of France. All that would have been avoided in this scenario.The French government-in-exile would also have retained both de jure and de facto control of the French empire.A France that remained in the fight would have radically changed the course of the war in the favour of the allies:Clearly, it would have avoided the necessity for Operation Catapult.So the French Navy would have survived and added its strength to the allies during the Battle of the Atlantic. It would also have made Operation Sealion utterly untenable, meaning Britain could not be invaded and potentially lose the war.The entire North African Campaign would be over before it began as Franco-British forces would easily drive the Italians out of Libya and Tunisa in short order (the British almost managed on their own before Rommel intervened).With the Italian fleet outnumbered and likely destroyed, the Mediterranean would fall under Allied control and the strategic situation would be transformed (no more having to route ships around the Cape of Good Hope).The Allies would not have had to waste valuable time and resources re-capturing French colonial territory.The strategic situation in the Far East would be transformed to the extent that Japan might not even have entered the war.The French Resistance, legitimised by the French government and led by the French Secret Service instead of opposed by it, would be far more effective.It may seem harsh to call Pétain a traitor, but it is literally true – Pétain was tried and convicted of treason after France was liberated.

One thing which differentiates Mumbaikars from the rest (no offense to people from other regions) is the never say die attitude.1) Bhai ye train me chadna impossible! (Impossible to catch this train) Reply- Arey tu bas khade reh public apne aap leke jayegi andar! (You just stand here, the rush will automatically take you inside)2) Bhai bridge ghir gaya. (Bro, a bridge has broken down) Reply- Toh? (So what?)3) Bhai baarish dekh office kaise jayege? (Bro, look at the rains, how would we reach work?) Reply- Chal re jo hoga dekha jayega! (Don’t worry, we’ll see how it goes)4) Bhai jagah hai? (Is there any place to get in?) Reply- Nai hai boss! (Not at all dude) Rebuttal- Arey chalo Andheri hi utarna ek jan aa jayega. (Come on, I just have to get down at Andheri, 1 guy will definitely fit in) (3–4 more people follow him after that xD)5) Love doesn’t die too! Wide awake or asleep! :DP.S. Hand holding game strong! B-)Now coming to the slangs!1) Kya bolreli public?! (What’s up people?)2) Aur bantai (Just addressing a friend)3) Kya bolta mera bha? (How are you doing bro?)4) Hai ki nai tera bhai hard! (No, not in the way you’re thinking! xD)5) Bas kya? (Is that what you expect out of me?)6) Boss! (Addressing an unknown person)7) Ae battery (Addressing a person with spectacles. Idk what logic is applied to this but yeah, this has been around since ages xD)8) Tu tera dekh (Mind your own business)9) Tera bhai samhaal lega! (I got this bro! Even when the person saying this himself is screwed xD)10) Tu hi hai! (When you do something awesome!)Sound almost sacred don’t they? :PWell, if you hear any of these, then you’re meeting a Mumbaikar! Or if you’re planning to come down here, then you’re welcome to Mumbai and be rest assured to hear all of these during your visit here. :D