"The Battle of France that General Weigang said is now over...I expect the Battle of Britain to begin. Therefore, let us take our responsibilities bravely, so that after the British Empire and its Federation, one can say this: This is their most glorious moment."

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sat in 10 Downing Street and often haunted legends, but in the pillar hall that Churchill had never seen before, he gave a speech to a Schul microphone produced by the United States. This was another inspiring speech, just like the previous few times. However, Churchill himself was in a very heavy mood now, because the French delegation signed the armistice agreement in Geneva was just a truce.

This means that the Battle of France has come to an end, but this is not what makes him feel heavy. He is not very worried about the "War of Britain". Because there is no sign that the Germans are preparing to invade Britain, they have not even sent a large number of planes to the British mainland to throw bombs, only a small number of night harassment air strikes, which were carried out in revenge on the night harassment of British planes.

Moreover, the German government also invited British peace talks representatives to Geneva, Switzerland to discuss the armistice and peace treaty. According to the leaflets thrown by the Germans in London every day, the night air strikes were mostly thrown on paper bullets: Germany only demanded a rough recovery of the European landscape in 1914, so as long as the UK agreed to abolish the Treaty of Versailles, the Saint-Germain, the Trianon, the Severn Treaty and the Lausanne Treaty, the war could end. Moreover, Germany also welcomed Britain to join the European Community, and the British and Germans would be together in the future.

Although Fatty Qiu did not believe in "the English and German family, coexisted and prospered", he also believed that as long as Britain was willing to abolish those treaties, Germany would happily truce. Many people in the UK advocated a truce with Germany on this, including a former king, Duke of Windsor. This is what made Fatty Qiu feel heavy.

In addition, there is another thing that made Fatty Qiu feel heavy, that is, the French agreed to leave their fleet in Toulon. This means that Germany may get them through negotiations Churchill does not believe that the French would sink their fleet for the sake of Britain's interests.

The speech ended, and as the microphone was closed by the secretary at 10 Downing Street, Churchill stood up with the table, and then walked towards the cabinet meeting room with some staggering steps. In the cabinet meeting room, Navy Secretary Alexander and First Minister of Maritime Admiral Pound were both waiting for their prime minister with serious expressions.

"How is Sir Cunningham going to fight?" Churchill asked.

Sir Cunningham is the commander of the British Mediterranean Fleet, and solving the French fleet in Toulon Harbor is what he is going to do now.

"Start an air strike," General Pound replied, "this will be a surprise attack."

"A surprise attack" Churchill asked, "It seems that Toulon Port has been on high alert for a long time."

"Yes," said Pound, "not only did the French D. fighters, but the Germans also deployed a large number of Fokker Zero fighters in RNaia, ready to support the Port of Toulon."

This support is entirely possible after France and Germany and Italy signed a truce treaty. If necessary, it is possible for the Italian air force to send aircraft to support Toulon.

"Then our air strike will succeed." Churchill frowned. The Royal Navy now does not have "Sea Spitfire". Their best fighter is 2a. Although it is also very advanced, the result of the battle with Folk Zero on the European continent is very bad and it is no match for the opponent. Moreover, this kind of aircraft cannot beat the b109, and it must not beat the d that can fight against the b109.

"Prime Minister, Sir Cunningham will not send 2a," said Pound. "He will launch a swordfish plane, take off 48 from the Royal Ark, and 24 from the Glory. They will launch a night attack."

"What" Churchill was very surprised, "Is it possible to take off from an aircraft carrier at night attack?"

This can be described as incredible in the present era. Tactical bombings are almost always carried out during the day. Not to mention that this attack will be launched from an aircraft carrier. It is already difficult to take off from an aircraft carrier at night. Looking back and landing an aircraft carrier at night is simply a game of acrobatics.

"Prime Minister," Sir Pound said to Churchill at this time very proudly, "except Royal Naval Air Force, there is no carrier-based pilot of the Naval Air Force in the world that can complete night takeoffs and landings, night enemy recruitment and night attacks, so this is an unexpected surprise attack, and we will surely succeed."

Churchill breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, "Well, I am now going to make the most painful and cruelest terrible decision in my life. I hope our French friends won't hate us for too long."

Churchill was determined to treat his former ally France in a cruel way. Three Sean "Sunderland" seaplanes that took off from Malta Island were a four-engine large seaplanes, with the help of cloud cover, broke into the heavily guarded port of Taranto from a height of 5,000 meters. Since there was no radar installed on the port of Taranto and the Italian ships in the port, it was not until the formation of three large seaplanes suddenly appeared over the Italian fleet that the alarm sounded in the port.

The air strikes launched by three British seaplanes did not achieve any results because the Italians deployed at least 100 anti-aircraft guns in the port of Taranto, and there were R.42 and G.50 fighters serving as direct cover in the air, and air defense blocking balloons around the port. Therefore, the British Sean "Sunderland" seaplane just threw a few tons of bombs at an altitude of 3,000 meters, and then pulled them to a height of 5,000 to escape quickly with the help of cloud cover.

However, this air strike launched by three seaplanes was not pure harassment, but a fire reconnaissance that attracted the attention of Italians. On the way back to these three Sean "Sunderland" seaplanes, a telegram about the situation in the port of Taranto was sent to the battleship "War-Willing" of the Mediterranean Fleet anchored in Alexandria, Egypt.

"Jazz, the Italian fleet is in Taranto." The chief of staff of the Mediterranean Fleet looked at the telegram and said to Cunningham, "two Earl Cafur class and two aircraft carriers are there."

At this time, the two "Duillio" class were still undergoing modernization modifications, and none of the "Vittorio Veneto" class was in service, so there were only two battleships available for the "powerful" Italian Navy. However, these two "Earl Cafur" class battleships that had undergone large-scale modernization in 1933, 1937 were difficult to deal with. Their speed was as high as 28 knots, which was faster than any battleship currently serving in the Mediterranean Fleet. The main gun turret was also powerful enough. Although it could not defeat the British battleship equipped with 14-inch and 15-inch main guns, if the "Ark of Royal" and "Glory" were accidentally encountered in the middle of the night, they might be sunk.

Although these two aircraft carriers are of course protected by battleships, it is always reassuring that the Italian battleships lie on the port of Taranto.

Moreover, the two Italian aircraft carriers, the Aquila and the Sparrow Eagle, are also very troublesome. According to information, the Italians equipped their aircraft carrier with two-seater G.50-force San fighter bombers. Although this aircraft cannot deal with the 2a buffalo, it will still make Major General List, the commander of the Mediterranean Fleet aircraft carrier formation, worried.

"That's great," Cunningham breathed a sigh of relief. "The Italian fleet was not dispatched, and the French fleet could not dispatch. Now there is only our Royal Navy fleet in the entire Mediterranean."

However, Cunningham's face was still full of worry, because two "Riceliu"-class ships in France were about to be put into service, while two "Vitorio Veneto"-class ships in Italy were about to be put into service. If these four super battleships became accomplices of the Germans, then the life of the British Mediterranean Fleet would probably be difficult.

So the only opportunity for the British Mediterranean Fleet is to give a fatal blow to the French and Italian fleets in the Mediterranean before these four giant ships are put into service.

But why didn't London issue an order to start the operation? Do they still have fantasies about the French?

"Jazz, the Admiralty's telegram"

Just as Sir Cunningham was waiting anxiously, the fleet's communications consultant shouted, "Operation Bandit has begun."

"Major General, Operation Birds begins"

Located in the western Mediterranean, inside the command tower of the USS Glory aircraft carrier near the Balearic Islands, Major General List, the commander of the fleet, finally waited for the order to start the "Operation Blade".

"Okay," Major General Lister looked up at the clock hanging on the bulkhead. It was now 4:40 pm. "We are now going to the position, we must be in place before 7:30 pm. The first attack wave is dispatched at 7:45 pm, and the attack is launched at 11 pm."
Chapter completed!