This was one of the lesser-known battles at the beginning of World War II, yet it holds significant importance. On May 20, 1940, the Battle of Dunkirk officially commenced in the northern part of France. Faced with difficulties against the German army after the breakthrough at Sedan, the British and part of the French army were compelled to retreat and found themselves surrounded.
The decision was made to evacuate the troops, primarily British, to the United Kingdom. The operation, codenamed Dynamo, took place from May 27 to June 4. It successfully repatriated over 338,226 soldiers to England. However, a substantial amount of equipment was left behind, and the German forces continued their advance.
Key Dates in the Battle of Dunkirk
May 10, 1940: Beginning of the Battle of France
On May 10, 1940, the Battle of France began. Determined to conquer Europe, the German army invaded the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and France. The primary objective of the Wehrmacht is to quickly reach the city of Sedan. With disconcerting ease, German troops crossed the Ardennes and bypassed the fortifications of the Maginot Line. This episode, known as the “Breakthrough at Sedan,” is one of the major events of the Battle of France.
May 20, 1940: Battle of Dunkirk
On May 20, 1940, the German army reached Abbeville. The British, French, and Belgian armies found themselves separated into two. In the north, nearly a million Allied soldiers were trapped and forced to retreat. The Battle of Dunkirk is initiated. For the Allies, the goal was to resist the arrival of German soldiers to evacuate the British army to the United Kingdom.
May 26, 1940: Operation Dynamo at Dunkirk
British Vice-Admiral Bertram Ramsay approved the evacuation of the besieged Allied troops at Dunkirk. Operation Dynamo was launched with the assistance of the Royal Navy. In total, approximately 338,000 soldiers have been evacuated to the United Kingdom. 40,000 French soldiers positioned on the beaches of Dunkirk to cover this evacuation were captured by the Germans.
May 28, 1940: Battle of Abbeville
Two days after Operation Dynamo, German troops encircled the port of Dunkirk while the Allies conducted operations to secure other French ports still under their control. On May 28, 1940, the Battle of Abbeville began to attempt to open an escape route. The fighting continued until June 4, 1940, involving, among others, Colonel Charles de Gaulle.
What Were the Causes of the Battle of Dunkirk?
World War II was declared in France on September 1, 1939, and began with a lack of combat, known as the “Phoney War.” On the eve of the Battle of Dunkirk, the German army deployed and swiftly progressed in its conquest of Europe, employing the Blitzkrieg strategy. After crossing Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Ardennes (which the French considered impassable) by bypassing the Maginot Line, German troops approached France.
On May 15, 1940, the Wehrmacht broke through at Sedan and entered France. The German offensive forced some French and British troops (the British Expeditionary Force) to retreat to the north. Quickly encircled, the Franco-British soldiers near Dunkirk were separated from the main body of French troops. Their evacuation to England was then decided.
How Many Troops Were Mobilized for the Battle of Dunkirk?
The Battle of Dunkirk took place between nearly 400,000 Allied forces, including British, French, Belgian, and Canadian soldiers, and a double force on the German side. Over about fifteen days, French General Weygand and British Lord Gort opposed the commanders of Nazi Germany, Gerd von Rundstedt and Ewald von Kleist. In this battle, numerous vessels from the Royal Navy and merchant marine were utilized to facilitate the evacuation of Allied troops to the United Kingdom. The Royal Air Force also played a role in covering evacuation operations. It is noteworthy that during this battle, French troops demonstrated heroic resistance. Positioned at Fort des Dunes, the 12th Motorized Infantry Division, in particular, contributed to slowing the German advance, allowing the majority of Allied forces to evacuate.
How Did the Battle of Dunkirk Unfold?
The Dunkirk evacuation, also known as Operation Dynamo, commenced on May 20, 1940, when British and some French divisions found themselves surrounded in the Dunkirk pocket. After a few days of deliberation, the Allies’ objective shifted to the strategic retreat of Franco-British forces to the United Kingdom. To achieve this, the Allied troops had to safeguard the Dunkirk pocket for the necessary time for the evacuation, which began on May 26. While Royal Navy ships transferred troops to the UK, numerous smaller civilian vessels, including trawlers, barges, and tugboats, shuttled between the less accessible beaches and the larger vessels. The Royal Air Force provided cover with bombings against the enemy.
Despite seeming to face the most challenging phase, the German forces were unexpectedly halted in their advance by General von Rundstedt and Hitler himself on May 24. The Allies took advantage of the German forces’ immobility until May 27 to initiate the troop evacuation. Operation Dynamo facilitated the evacuation of over 338,000 soldiers up until June 4, when the German army captured Dunkirk. This episode is sometimes referred to as the “Miracle of Dunkirk.” However, 40,000 French soldiers left on the beaches of northern France to protect the evacuation were captured by the Germans.
Who Won the Battle of Dunkirk?
On the eve of launching Operation Dynamo, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill aimed to save 45,000 men. In total, over 338,00 men would be evacuated by sea, a figure that, despite the Allied troops’ retreat, portrays Operation Dynamo as a British victory. A few hours before the start of Operation Dynamo, almost no one envisioned such a favorable scenario in the context of the German encirclement. As for the Battle of Dunkirk, it is considered a German victory. Indeed, on June 4, 1940, the Germans entered Dunkirk, taking 40,000 soldiers still present as prisoners.
How Many Casualties at the Battle of Dunkirk?
With over 40,000 casualties on the Allied side (sources vary on the exact number of casualties; this is average) and nearly 20,000 casualties or injuries on the German side, the Battle of Dunkirk had a particularly heavy human toll for just a few days of combat. There are also material losses, including the downing of slightly over 400 aircraft. Furthermore, while the men were evacuated, equipment such as planes, cannons, vehicles, etc. was left behind for the enemy.
While the focus is often on the evacuation of over 338,000 British and French soldiers to the United Kingdom, it is crucial not to overlook that approximately 40,000 soldiers, mainly French, were captured and became prisoners of war by the Germans. Most of them were subjected to forced marches and sent to prisoner-of-war camps in Germany.
Aircraft Operations
The port of Dunkirk suffered significant damage from German air attacks, but it remained operational for the evacuation of soldiers, particularly at night. Bombing attacks on the troops being evacuated from the beaches were largely unsuccessful, as the bombs penetrated the soft sand, dampening their explosions.
However, there were successful attacks on transport and warships. Concentrating all air attacks on the transport ships would have resulted in a more costly evacuation from Dunkirk. Thousands of people likely lost their lives in the bombings. German bombers faced significant losses from the anti-aircraft fire of the warships during their attacks on the ships.
During the evacuation, the Allies lost 226 sea vessels of various types, with most succumbing to air attacks.
The Royal Air Force contributed to the air defense of the evacuation but faced challenges due to the long flight path over the North Sea, limiting the flight time of their fighter planes, which had a limited range at that time. The RAF also had numerical disadvantages.
As the Royal Navy’s Skua and Roc fighter planes provided air cover over Dunkirk, Spitfires, and Hurricanes of the Royal Air Force mistakenly shot down the unfamiliar planes as German aircraft. The Royal Air Force lost 106 fighter planes, and the Royal Navy also suffered losses during operations over Dunkirk. German losses across all aircraft types amounted to 132, with about 50–60 shot down by the anti-aircraft fire of Allied ground forces and the French and British warships.
German fighter sorties over Dunkirk totaled 2000, with a loss of 37 fighter planes. The Royal Air Force conducted 1764 fighter sorties over the combat area.
Where Does the Name of Operation Dynamo Come From?
The evacuation of Dunkirk was carried out under the code name “Operation Dynamo.” This code name refers to the location from which Admiral English Bertram Ramsay officially launched this operation. In the basement of Dover Castle, where Ramsay’s headquarters is located, there was indeed a dynamo room with a generator intended to supply electricity to the building during the war.
What Were the Consequences of Operation Dynamo?
This evacuation will significantly strip French territory of defense forces. The French generals relied on these troops to organize the defense of France. Moreover, the evacuation priority appears to have been given to the British. Side by side during Operation Dynamo, British and French forces encountered their first tensions. The Franco-British alliance began to fracture.
This crack is accentuated a few weeks later when Churchill refuses to support French troops engaged in the Battle of France with the Royal Air Force. The British Prime Minister deems the battle already lost. Nevertheless, his support for General Charles de Gaulle and the Free French movement, following the June 18th appeal, will be a crucial element in maintaining resistance against the invaders.
Which Films Were Inspired by the Battle of Dunkirk?
Like many events of World War II, the Battle of Dunkirk has inspired the world of art, particularly the realm of cinema. In 1958, Leslie Norman’s Dunkirk was one of the first films to bring the Battle of Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo to the big screen. In 1964, Henri Verneuil offered his take with Week-End at Zuydcoote. More recently, American director Christopher Nolan delivered one of the blockbuster hits of 2017, Dunkirk, which was honored in 2018 with three Oscars.
10 Numbers to Understand the Battle of Dunkirk
9 days: From May 26 to June 4, 1940, the most incredible rescue operation was urgently organized by the Royal Navy to try to recover as many soldiers as possible under enemy fire (Operation “Dynamo”). Hitler’s hesitation offers a crucial respite: he orders his armored divisions to stop 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the city. Is it to negotiate peace with England more quickly, avoiding humiliation? Out of fear that his tanks would get stuck in marshy terrain? Göring convinced him that his planes would be sufficient to clear the area, a grave mistake.
11 kilometers (7 miles) wide: The narrowness of the Dunkirk pocket was where the Allies took refuge, attempting to stand against the German steamroller. Calais fell to the west, and Belgium capitulated on the 28th, further reducing the maneuvering space for the Franco-British troops crowded in the enclave.
800,000 Germans: The Wehrmacht deployed twice as many troops as the Allies facing the Dunkirk pocket, including 160,000 soldiers directly engaged in combat, with the rest in reserve. On the other side, 400,000 soldiers await the final assault and do everything to escape in sometimes indescribable disorder. The Battle of Dunkirk will result in 40,000 deaths, approximately 20,000 on each side.
60 kilometers (37 miles): The shortest distance between Dover and Dunkirk by sea, amidst mines, submarines, and Luftwaffe attacks… The Royal Navy requires the largest possible ships, destroyers, ferries, and ocean liners to shuttle efficiently between the two ports. Two other routes are also used to escape German artillery, but they are much longer (80 and 130 kilometers – 50 miles and 80 miles).
370 “little ships”: This term refers to the hundreds of private boats that responded to the urgent call from the Navy to help repatriate as many people as possible. A veritable shuttle of fishing boats, pleasure yachts, trawlers, and simple boats is established, with owners making the round trip at their own risk. This incredible armada alone brings back nearly 100,000 men.
1,500 meters: This is the length of the two breakwater jetties that allow boats to dock roughly facing Dunkirk because bombings damaged the port facilities. Three soldiers can walk along a plank walkway. Other ships approach as best they can, with the risk of running aground on the beach while fighters board with water up to their shoulders.
400 bombers: Göring, the Minister of Aviation, is confident in reducing the pocket with his Luftwaffe bombers. But the English counter with the RAF, the Royal Air Force: British Spitfires proved very effective against German fighters, the famous Messerschmitt. At the end of the battle, the RAF will be ready to defend London during the bombings ordered by Hitler.
338,226 survivors: Nearly 200,000 Britons, including 13,053 wounded, and almost 140,000 French and other allies (including Belgians and Canadians) managed to cross the English Channel under enemy fire—the English high command had hoped to save at most 45,000 men. On June 6, 1940, Churchill announced that he would refuse any peace negotiations with Hitler. Dunkirk acts as a rallying cry; England regains hope, defying the Nazi leader who is about to unleash his bombers on London.
40,000 prisoners: On June 4, at 9:30 am, all resistance ceased in the Dunkirk pocket. All heavy equipment has been lost; 200 ships have been sunk, including nine destroyers and several minesweepers. Forty thousand men were taken prisoner, including many soldiers from the 12th and 68th French infantry divisions, who covered the retreat of their comrades and allowed this last-minute rescue.
65 years: The Age of Winston Churchill Since May 10, 1940, the British Prime Minister has overseen the operation and exerted all his influence to ensure that the French also boarded the ships bound for England. The old lion turns a rout into victory: before the House of Commons, he speaks of “the miracle of deliverance”: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” He keeps his word.
