Churchill's Darkest Decision

Churchill's Darkest Decision

Naval officers

During World War II, in the summer of 1940, Winston Churchill faced a terrible dilemma. France had just surrendered and only the English Channel stood between the Nazis and Britain. Germany was poised to seize the entire French fleet, one of the biggest in the world. With these ships in his hands, Hitler's threat to invade Britain could become a reality.

Churchill had to make a choice: to either trust the promises of the new French government: that they would never hand over their ships to Hitler; or he could ensure that the ships never joined the German navy by destroying them himself. His decision is regarded by some as a turning point in the war, while others call it a terrible betrayal and a war crime.

This documentary tells the story of what Churchill did next, and how and why 1300 French sailors died as a result in what the French still call their Pearl Harbor. The filmmakers interview French survivors who were aboard the targeted battleships, and also a British war veteran, a sailor who opened fire on his former allies. Along with these fist-hand accounts, historians and Churchill's biographer trace the chain of events and their consequences for those involved, for Britain and the outcome of the war.

This is the forgotten story of Churchill's darkest decision: to sink the French Fleet.

On TV

First Shown

Date Time Channel
Monday 25 May 2009 9.20PM Channel 4

Last Shown

Date Time Channel
Monday 25 May 2009 9.20PM Channel 4

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Comments

  1. how do you view a programme on this system? i spent ages trying to make it work. come one make it work!
    Posted by h on 23/07/2009 22:03:06
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  2. Once again in the theatre of war the incompetance of leaders who will not make decicions or keep agreements.From a british perspective the french fleet should have sailed to england,or a least put itself out of german hands.As it was it just fueled the dislike many French people have against us(and who can blame them)and the distrust many english feel against the french.It is about time we all learned the futility of any war and put our energies into living in peace together, or once again the leaders will hide in their bunkers and the ordinary man pays the price yet again.
    Posted by sapper on 20/06/2009 00:20:56
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  3. This is a very good show and has inspired me to dig in and write about him in my history jrodject for school thank you
    Posted by jeams on 08/06/2009 11:42:29
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  4. I went to theis page : http://www.channel4.com/programmes/churchills-darkest-decision/catch-up#2919409 ... but how do I actually get to watch it? I don't see any video player there, nor any button that might start one.
    Posted by John Burke on 05/06/2009 21:50:57
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  5. A thorough piece of work which has provided lots of telling detail that was missing from previous documentaries that have touched on the subject. Some of the French characters in the programme seem to take pride in the scuttling of their fleet. The more honourable thing to have done would have been to have sailed for allied ports. They could then have fought on and have been a true aid to the allied cause. Scuttling was merely a half-measure: the Germans won't have the fleet, but nor will the British. Where is the honour in that?
    Posted by I Grant on 31/05/2009 22:20:31
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  6. How do I get Churchill's Darkest Hour to play out or any programme on catch up tv channel 4 for that matter?
    Posted by jim hancock on 31/05/2009 19:00:57
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  7. Very insightful. Thank you for this programme.
    Posted by Russell Glover on 31/05/2009 00:16:01
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  8. Very informative for someone not alive at that point in history - funny how there are echoes of our differing international relationships with France and USA to this day!!!
    Posted by J Noble on 25/05/2009 22:26:34
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  9. An well-written, well-researched, sensitive and all round excellent documentary. More like this, please.
    Posted by Kenny MacLeod on 25/05/2009 22:23:07
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25 May 2009

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