Miracle at Dunkirk Operation Dynamo,

Miracle at Dunkirk

Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk on 27 May - 4 June 1940, saved the British army from total destruction. The German Blitzkrieg had just smashed the French line and trapped the remaining Allied forces, including most of the British Expeditionary Forces, in the city of Dunkirk, the last continental harbor still controlled by Allied forces. British leaders had to organize an improbable evacuation to save the British Expeditionary Forces from certain destruction. The all-out effort exerted by the British navy and the civilian sea vessels turned a disgraceful retreat into a triumphant rescue.

The Predicament

Germany's invasion of France in 1940 succeeded beyond the expectations of many commanders and left Allied forces stranded in what was now German-controlled France (Axelrod 303). Separated from the larger French forces by the German forces, Allied troops tried to move as close to their remaining strengths as possible, the British Navy (Axelrod 303). The Allied forces arrived in Dunkirk demoralized and fearful, expecting Hitler to put his foot on their throats by sending in the German tank division that had just demolished the French battle lines (Liddell Hart 44). Hitler's decision at this critical juncture was one of the most important in the entire War.

Ironically, the factors behind the Germans' success up until Dunkirk made it difficult for them to capitalize on the opportunities it yielded at Dunkirk. The German Blitzkrieg, relying on tanks and airpower, mowed through France with unprecedented force and speed, quickly smashing the Allied line and pursuing them to Dunkirk. (Axelrod 303) the progress was so rapid, however, that the tank and air divisions arrived at Dunkirk long before the infantry divisions did. (Axelrod 304) Although Hitler recognized the vulnerability of the Allied forces, he was not sure how the German tank and air divisions would perform in such a tight spot without the more conventional infantry to support them (Axelrod 304). Hitler decided to postpone his attack on the Allied forces until his infantry divisions arrived from France (Liddell Hart 44).

The Rescue

Although the Allied forces literally dodged the bullet through Hitler's hesitation, they were still in a very precarious position with the German Luftwaffe hovering over the coast. British leaders realized that there was only a small window of time in which they would be able to evacuate British and French troops from Dunkirk. (Axelrod 303) the British Admiralty assembled a fleet of 693 ships, including 39 destroyers, 36 minesweepers, 77 civilian trawlers, 26 civilian yachts, and various other small vessels, to sail across the channel pick up as much of the Allied Force as possible, naming the effort Operation Dynamo (Lord 43).

The Germans recognized the evacuation attempt and used all means at their disposal to harass it (Gardner 15). They sent the Luftwaffe aircraft, U-boats, and E-boats to attack the various Allied ships sailing to and from the Belgian Coast (Axelrod 304). The Allied forces countered with air power of its own, bringing the Royal Air Force in to intercept the Luftwaffe and bomb concentrated German ground troops (Axelrod 304).

In this dogfight, the Allied forces were helped by a number of fortunate developments. The Luftwaffe had advanced too rapidly for their supply bases to catch up and their supplies were limited throughout the battle (Axelrod 305). Also, inclement weather throughout the battle reduced visibility for aircraft, providing Allied forces with periodic reprieves from Luftwaffe harassment (Axelrod 305). The Luftwaffe's bombs themselves, through the smoke they created upon exploding, further reduced visibility and helped screen the evacuation process (Axelrod 305). That these developments occurred without the intervention of Allied forces is part of the reason they call it the Miracle at Dunkirk.

Operation Dynamo proved to be a wild success, evacuating a total of 338,226 soldiers, including 140,000 French troops. (Axelrod 305). The British press emphasized the courageous assistance of various civilian small craft in the evacuation, diverting attention from what was in reality a disastrous defeat and retreat for British forces in Continental Europe. (Axelrod 305). Moreover, Prime Minister Churchill capitalized on the "Spirit of Dunkirk" in his most famous wartime speech, declaring that "We shall fight on the beaches…" and "never surrender," setting the tone for the British effort for the rest of the War. (Axelrod 305).