 Ngarava mbiri idzi dzakashanda kwenguva pfupi; dzakapedzwa nguva pfupi Hondo Yenyika II isati yatanga, dzakashanda kwenguva pfupi neAtlantic Squadron mukupera kwema1930, uye Dunkerque yakaita nzendo dzinoverengeka kunze kwenyika, kusanganisira kuFrench West Africa muna 1938 uye kushanya kuBritain muna 1937 na1939. Hondo payakanga yava kuda kutanga muna August 1939, vaFrench vakagadzira Force de Raid Raiding Force, yainge yakavakirwa paDunkerque mbiri, iyo yakanga ine basa rokuvhima Deutschland dzaitarisirwa kushanda muAtlantic sevatengesi vevatengesi. VaFrance havana kumbobvira vabata ngarava dzehondo dzeGermany, uye panzvimbo pezvo ngarava dzacho dzakatumirwa kuMers-el-Kébir kuti dzidzivise Italy kupinda muhondo neFrance. Pashure pokunge Jerimani yarova France muHondo yeFrance muna June 1940, vaFrance vakamanikidzwa kubvisa ngarava dzavo, uye Dunkerque mbiri dzaifanira kuramba dzisingashandisi paMers-el-Kébir. Vasingazivi kuti Germany yakanga isina chinangwa chokubata ngarava, vaBritain vakatumira Force H kunonyudza ngarava; Dunkerque yakakuvadzwa muKurwisa Mers-el-Kébirmuna July, asi Strasbourg yakatiza ichienda kuToulon, uko yakava ngarava huru yeForces de haute mer High Seas Forces. 