Operation Sea Lion depended on moving German tanks and troops across the Channel in ships. German air power was formidable, but it could not replace shipping or neutralize the whole British fleet. The Royal Navy was prepared to make a costly attack on the invasion fleet, described here as a possible death ride. Such an intervention could make the landing unlikely while leaving Britain with a depleted fleet. The tradeoff linked immediate home defense to the later Battle of the Atlantic, which would become much harder if the fleet suffered severe losses.
Notable Point · 13:07-13:51
The Royal Navy cost of stopping Operation Sea Lion
German armor could not cross the Channel without shipping, and a Royal Navy attack might stop the invasion at a heavy cost to Britain's strength in the Atlantic.