Mers-el-Kebir

In World War II, French naval base in Algeria near Oran (now Wahran).

A major part of the French fleet was based here when the French surrendered to Germany in July 1940 and the British, fearful that these ships would be added to the German fleet in spite of French promises to the contrary, demanded that they either sail to a British port, to a neutral port, or be destroyed. The French commander rejected all alternatives and the British therefore opened fire, sinking several warships. There was a similar situation about the same time in Dakar.