News for this day in history - November 28, 1942. The destruction of the French fleet, fourth largest in the world, at Toulon. Russian Army making advances. Rommel in North Africa. World War 2.
November 28, 2011

French-Fleet---Toulon---194.jpg
Toulon - home to the fourth largest naval fleet in the world.


News for this day in 1942 was mostly about the overnight scuttling of the French Naval fleet, anchored at Toulon harbor. Rather than face capture by the Germans, Admiral Darlan, commander of Vichy Naval forces ordered the destruction of the fleet. It was later disclosed that Darlan had entered into secret negotiations with General Eisenhower, FDR and Churchill, where Darlan would ensure destruction of the fleet in exchange for joining the Allies and gaining control of French North Africa. The negotiations were discovered by Hitler who immediately enforced an occupation of Vichy France (the "Free French" portion of France during the war) and sent reinforcements to North Africa.

At the time, all was known in the news was that the French Fleet had been destroyed and numerous reports were coming in on the aftermath.

In other news - The Russian front was now in control of a fifty mile stretch along the Don, pushing the German Army back. The siege at Stalingrad was grinding on.

As far as North Africa was concerned, reports came in regarding German Army maneuvering under Rommel and fighting going on in and around Begazi.

The world at war on this November 28, 1942, as reported on NBC's News Of The World.

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