German access to French Atlantic bases made the ocean war harder, while useful French ships were no longer available to share Allied tasks. The discussion places the attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir within Britain's long-standing policy of denying warships to an enemy. Britain also inherited responsibility for the western Mediterranean, a role previously assigned to France. Force H at Gibraltar was the institutional answer, with James Somerville recalled to command the new formation.
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The fall of France creates Force H
France's collapse both opened Atlantic bases to Germany and removed the fleet responsible for the western Mediterranean, forcing Britain to create Force H.