British preparations continued as long as the invasion appeared possible. Churchill and senior officers expressed confidence that the Germans would be annihilated, although some of that confidence is interpreted as deliberate encouragement. The invasion threat enabled extensive training, including activities that would normally have faced restrictions, and the mobilization of civilians into the Home Guard. It also encouraged auxiliary and special operations activity. A home defense force later made it easier to justify sending regular army formations abroad. In this interpretation, Sea Lion planning gave Britain more useful organizational opportunities than it gave Germany.
Notable Point · 43:13-45:01
The wider value of Britain's invasion preparations
Invasion preparations helped Britain train and mobilize forces, while home defense later supported the release of regular troops for service overseas.