A Hateful Decision

This is history as it should be written: as page-turning and compelling as the best thriller, rich in human drama yet deeply researched and authoritative. Abel Smith has a rare eye for detail and this tragic episode in the Second World War is superbly told with compassion, edge-of-seat tension and the deftness of a master story-teller. * James Holland *The summer of 1940 is not short on drama and Operation Catapult – when the Royal Navy turned its guns on the French Fleet to deny it falling into enemy hands – is one the toughest decisions Churchill was forced to make. Edward Abel Smith takes us right into the heart of the drama, as men who worked together as allies faced each other as possible enemies. Minute by minute chances slip away, and pride, fate and war collide. * Al Murray *In war, the worst is not killing the enemy but someone in the way. Read this astonishing book on Churchill’s darkest hour. * John Sweeney *A Hateful Decision reads like a thriller and is based on a mass of meticulous and original research. As a result, the tension in the hours leading up to the moment when the Royal Navy’s big guns were turned on French warships in the summer of 1940 is portrayed as vividly as the anguish of everyone at every level on both sides who played a part in a fateful military operation in which thousands of sailors lost their lives. By throwing a powerful spotlight on this little-known maritime drama, Abel Smith has made an invaluable contribution to the history of the Second World War. * Jonathan Dimbleby *Meticulously researched and written with panache, A Hateful Decision sheds new light on one of the most compelling yet least known dramas of the Second World War - the destruction of the French fleet by the British navy. Authoritative and revelatory - a must read. * Giles Milton *Edward Abel Smith brilliantly highlights the often excruciating decisions made by Churchill, the Government and the Royal Navy to protect Britain in 1940. A Hateful Decision is a gripping tale of Britain’s determination to fight on. – Andrew Chatterton * author of Britain’s Secret Defences *Simply fant­astic. An impec­cably well re­searched and writ­ten book, full of insight, and a reward­ing page-turner. * History of War magazine *

Edward Abel Smith is a writer, documentary filmmaker, and podcaster. He is the author of three books:

• Ian Fleming’s Inspiration
• The British Oskar Schindler—The Life and Work of Nicholas Winton, which was the subject of a major motion picture starring Anthony Hopkins.
• Angels of Prague, which tells the story of the evacuation of 15,000 people during WW2.

Abel Smith is the consultant producer for the forthcoming Sky documentary, ‘Post Office Murder’, and is the co-host and co-creator of ‘Lucy Letby—Was There Ever A Crime’, a podcast with close to a million downloads. His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The Telegraph, The Mail on Sunday, The Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Times. He has also been a guest on BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service, as well as many history podcasts.

Edward lives near the South Coast of England with his wife, two daughters, and their dog, Vesper.

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