By January 1942, Britain was still in the fight of her life. Germany had occupied all western Europe, controlled the Mediterranean, and was threatening British colonies in North Africa. German submarines all but controlled the North Atlantic, threatening to starve Britain into submission.
German battleships now positioned at Brest, France, threatened to make a final cut of Britain’s lifeline to its dominions. The only bright spot was the fact that the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor had brought the United States into the conflict on the side of the British. That, and the successful defense of Britain itself by the Royal Air force, had kept Britain in the war.
One of the few advantages Britain’s armed forces had enjoyed in the early days of the war had been radar, which allowed them to see the enemy before they were seen by that enemy. This had been a major advantage during the Battle of Britain, in the hunt for the German battleship Bismarck, and other early battles. But this January, British scientific intelligence had reported that there were indications that the Germans were now deploying new radar stations and adding radar to their ships and aircraft.
