Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:45:17-1:47:57

Charles de Gaulle sent back to the Free French

If the Free French could support the modern carrier, its strike aircraft and Hawkeyes would give them a major advantage, while the crew would probably support de Gaulle despite differences in pay and service conditions.

Airborne Early WarningAlternate HistoryCharles De Gaulle Aircraft CarrierFree French Naval ForcesWorld War II
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Question

What could the modern carrier Charles de Gaulle do for the Free French Navy in 1940?

Short answer

If the Free French could support the modern carrier, its strike aircraft and Hawkeyes would give them a major advantage, while the crew would probably support de Gaulle despite differences in pay and service conditions.

Notes

The carrier's value depends first on whether the Free French can support it. With its Hawkeyes and strike aircraft, Charles de Gaulle could disrupt Japanese plans if deployed to the Far East. Its name would be startling in June 1940, when de Gaulle was still a relatively obscure general. The panel expects the crew to prefer the Free French to Pétain, although that support would not remove differences between modern and 1940s naval service. Pay and treatment of sailors are identified as particular obstacles.