France entered 1940 with a large fleet scattered across the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Far East. It was expected to support Britain while protecting French interests, but it lacked enough ships and support to be strong everywhere. Officers and crews also differed over how actively the fleet should fight beside Britain, despite promises to continue to the bitter end. A sudden defeat on land could therefore force decisions about the fleet before its people agreed on a common course.
Chapter · 0:27-3:18
The French Navy's worldwide commitments in January 1940
France's effort to cover the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Far East left too few ships and too little support for each commitment.