THE BATTLE OF FRANCE
yet again, they offered me anti-aircraft guns and
searchlights for Boulogne.... They possess an
amazing amount of material. Their methods of
aircraft detection, the results of which you've seen,
are marvellous.., . There's no doubt they've done
a magnificent job on the sea and in the air since the
beginning of the war.... But the mistakes they've
made in die past! That it should have been they that
allowed Germany to rearm . . * they who did every-
thing at Washington to impose on us naval parity
with Italy... they who prevented our reconcilia-
tion with Italy over sanctions! How they must be
biting their lips to-day!*
I thereupon said that I thought that the capital
error was made in March, 1936, and for that,
too, certain English politicians had been largely
responsible.
'No,5 the Admiral said, *I think then it was not so
much Britain's fault as ours. We had only to march
alone. We could have done it, it only meant
mobilizing. At that time our politicians said: "We
must blockade Hamburg." I said to them: "That's
not the way to do it." *
I am pleased to see that when I left Dunkirk the
following day, I made a note that I had just met
three fine men and that if all the other commanders
of our navy were as good as they, our leadership was
in good hands. Soon the most searching test of all
was to prove me right.
168