ABSTRACT
Count Ciano, Italian Foreign Minister, June 1940: The fighting spirit of His Majesty’s Fleet is alive and still has the aggressive ruthlessness of the captains and pirates of the 17th century. Ambassador Bastianini, who is back from London, says that the morale of the British is very high and that they have no doubts about victory, even though it may come only after a long time. The house of commons went into secret session on 20 June. It discussed the necessity for such sessions, the likely results of a German air bombardment, and the Franco–German armistice. Before the French Government fell to Germany, it was unable to give a categoric undertaking not to allow the French fleet to fall into German hands. For Britain the matter was more imperative than any other single factor at the time. On Halifax’s recommendation, Churchill was elected Leader of the conservative party on 9 October – perhaps his greatest political mistake.
