Dive into the gripping narrative of A Hateful Decision, which meticulously recounts Operation Catapult—the agonizing and necessary military action taken by Winston Churchill in the summer of 1940. As France fell to Nazi Germany, Churchill faced the critical threat posed by the French Navy, leading to the controversial British attack on the French fleet at Mers el Kébir on July 3, 1940. This book utilizes extensive new research and rediscovered eyewitness accounts to deliver the full story of this pivotal moment in World War II history.

Explore the high-stakes drama unfolding between the men on the ground and the tense political corridors of power, revealing the act that defined Britain's commitment to winning the war.

• Chronicles the events surrounding Churchill's order of Operation Catapult against the French Navy in July 1940.
• Based on extensive new research and rediscovered eyewitness accounts.
• Brings to life Churchill’s darkest hour and the necessity of the decision to destroy a large part of the French fleet.
• Author: Edward Abel Smith.

• Author: Smith, Edward Abel
• Publisher: Bantam
• Publication Date: June 4, 2026
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Print Length: 304 pages
• ISBN-10: 0857509624
• ISBN-13: 978-0857509628
• Dimensions: 16.2 x 2.9 x 24.1 cm (162x29x241mm)
• Item Weight: 510 g
• Category Rank: #252 in Social Sciences (Books)

This authoritative and revelatory work sheds new light on one of the Second World War's most compelling yet least known dramas, essential reading for students and enthusiasts of Social Sciences and military history.