▁The ▁British ▁destroy er ▁A cher on ▁s ank ▁after ▁hitting ▁a ▁mine ▁off ▁the ▁Is le ▁of ▁W ight . ▁U . S . ▁President ▁Franklin ▁D . ▁Ro ose vel t ▁gave ▁a ▁press ▁conference ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁suggested ▁le asing ▁or ▁s elling ▁of ▁arms ▁to ▁Britain ▁" on ▁the ▁general ▁theory ▁that ▁it ▁may ▁still ▁prove ▁true ▁that ▁the ▁best ▁defense ▁of ▁Great ▁Britain ▁is ▁the ▁best ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁and ▁therefore ▁that ▁these ▁materials ▁would ▁be ▁more ▁useful ▁to ▁the ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁if ▁they ▁were ▁used ▁in ▁Great ▁Britain , ▁than ▁if ▁they ▁were ▁kept ▁in ▁storage ▁here ." ▁Dor othy ▁O ' Gr ady ▁was ▁sent enced ▁to ▁death ▁in ▁England ▁for ▁sp ying . ▁Her ▁appeal ▁would ▁reduce ▁the ▁sentence ▁to ▁ 1 4 ▁years ▁in ▁prison . ▁ ▁December ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁( W ed nes day ) ▁Hitler ▁issued ▁Direct ive ▁No . ▁ 2 1 ▁on ▁the ▁German ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁c oden amed ▁Operation ▁Bar bar ossa . ▁ ▁December ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁( Th urs day ) ▁German ▁sub marine ▁U - 3 7 ▁mistaken ly ▁tor ped o ed ▁and ▁s ank ▁the ▁V ich y ▁French ▁sub marine ▁S f ax ▁and ▁support ▁ship ▁Rh ône ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Mor oc co . ▁The ▁U - bo at ▁captain ▁chose ▁not ▁to ▁record ▁this ▁incident ▁on ▁the